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THE 



HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, 



IN FOUR PARTS. 



I. The History of the first settlement of Virginia, and the gov- 

ernment THEREOF, TO THE YEAR 1706. 

II. THE NATURAL PRODUCTIONS AND CONVENIENCES OF THE COUNTRY, 6UITED 

TO TRADE AND IMPROVEMENT. 

III. The native Indians, their religion, laws and customs, in war and 

FFACE. 

IV. The present state of the country, as to the polity of the gov- 

ernment, AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE LAND THE IOtH OF JUNE 

1720. 



BY ROBERT BEVERLEY, 

A native and inhabitant of the place. 

• REPKINTBD FROM THE AUTHOR'S SECOND REVISED EDITION, LONDON, 1722. 

% 
WITH AN INTRODUCTION 

BY CHAELES CAMPBELL, 

Author of the Colonial History of Virginia. 



J. wl RANDOLPH, - 

121 MAIN STREET, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 

1855. 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1855, by 

J. W. RANDOLPH, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the Eastern District of Virginia. 



H. K. ELLYSON'S STEAM PRESSES, RICHMOND, VA. 



THE TABLE. 



BOOK I. 






CHAPTER I 



History of the first attempts to settle Virginia, before the discovery of 
Chesapeake bay. 

PAGE. 

§1. Sir Walter Raleigh obtains letters patent, for making discoveries in 

America, . . . . . . .8 

2. Two ships set out on the discovery, and arrive at Roanoke inlet, . 9 
Their account o!' the country, . . . . .9 
Their account of the natives, . . . .9 

3. Queen Elizabeth names the country of Virginia, . . .10 

4. Sir Richard Greenvile's voyage, . . . . .10 
He plans the first colony, under command or Mr. Ralph Lane, . 1 1 

5. The discoveries and accidents of the (irst colony, . • .11 

6. Their distress by want of provisions, . . . .12 
Sir Francis Drake visits them, . . . • • 12 
He gives them a ship and necessaries, . ■ . .12 
He takes them away with him, . . . . .12 

7. Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Greenvile, their voyages, . 13 
The second settlement made, . . . . .13 

8. Mr. John White's expedition, . . . . .13 
The first Indian made a Christian there, . . . .14 
The first child born there of Christian parentage, . . .14 
Third settlement, incorporated by the name of the city of Raleigh, 

in Virginia, . . . . . . .14 

Mr. White, their governor, sent home to solicit for supplies, . 14 

9. John White's second voyage ; last attempts to carry them recruits, 14 
His disappointment, . . . . . .15 

10. Capt. Gosnell's voyage to the coast of Cape Cod, . .15 

11. The Bristol voyages, . . . . . .10 

12. A London voyage, which discovered New York, . . .16 

CHAPTER II. 

Discovery of Chesapeake bay by the corporation of Ix)ndon adventurers ; 
their colony at Jamestown, and proceedings during the government by an 
elective president and council. 

$13. The companies of London and Plymouth obtrin charters, . 18 

14. Captain Smith first discovers the capes of Virginia, . . 19 

15. He plants his first colony at Jamestown, .... 20 
An account of Jamestown island, . . , .20 

16. He sends the ships home, retaining one hundred and eight men 

to keep possession. . . . , .20 



IV 



THE TAB L E 



17. That colony's mismanagement, . . . . .21 
Their misfortunes upon discovery of a supposed gold mine, . 21 

18. Their first supplies after settlement, . . . .22 
Their discoveries, and experiments in English grain, . , 22 
An attempt of some to desert the colony, . . . .22 

19. The first Christian marriage in that colony, . . .23 
They make three plantations more, . . . .23 

CHAPTER III. 

History of the .colony after the change of their government, from an elective 
president to a commissionated governor, until the dissolution of the com- 
pany. 



$20. 



21 



22. 
23. 



24. 
25. 

26. 

27. 
28. 
29. 
30. 

31. 

32. 
33. 
34. 

35. 
36. 
37. 
38. 
39. 

40. 

41. 
42. 

43. 
44. 



The company get a new grant, and the nomination of the gover 

nors in themselves, ■ 
They send three governors in equal degree, 
All three going in one ship, are shipwrecked at Bermudas, 
They build there two small cedar vessels, 
Captain Smith's return to England, . <* . 

Mismanagements ruin the colony, 
The first massacre and starving time, 
The first occasion of the ill character of Virginia, 
The five hundred men left by Captain Smith reduced to sixty in 
six months time. ...... 

The three governors sail from Bermudas, and arrive at Virginia, 
They take off the Christians that remained there, and design, by 

way of Newfoundland, to return to England, . 
Lord Delaware arrives and turns them back, 
Sir Thomas Dale arrives governor, with supplies, 
Sir Thomas Gates arrives governor, 
He plants out a new plantation, . 
Pocahontas made prisoner, and married to Mr. Rolfe, 
Peace with the Indians, .... 

Pocahontas brought to England by Sir Thomas Dale, 

Captain Smith's petition to the queen in her behalf, 

His visit to Pocahontas, 

An Indian's account of the people of England, 

Pocahontas' reception at court, and death, 

Captain Yardley's government, 

Governor Argall's good administration, 

Powhatan's death, and successors, 

Peace renewed by the- successors, 

Captain Argall's voyage from Virginia to New England 

He defeats the French northward of New England, 

An account of those French, 

He also defeats the French in Acadia, 

His return to England, 

Sir George Yardley, governor, 

He resettles the deserted plantation, and held the first assembly, 

The method of that assembly, 

The first negroes carried to Virginia, 

Land apportioned to adventurers, 

A salt work and iron work in Virginia, 

Sir Francis Wyat made governor, 

King James, his instructions in care of tobacco, 

Captain Newport's plantation, 



24 
24 
24 
24 
25 
25 
25 
26 

26 
26 

27 
27 
27 
28 
28 
28 
28 
29 
29 
32 
32 
33 
34 
34 
34 
34 
35 
35 
36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
37 
37 
37 
38 
38 
38 
38 



THE TABLE. V 

45. Inferior courts in each plantation, . . . . .39 
Too much familiarity with the Indians, . . . .39 

46. The massacre by the Indians, anno 1622, . . .39 

47. The discovery and prevention of it at Jamestown, . - 40 

48. The occasion of the massacre, . . . . .41 

49. A plot to destroy the Indians, . . . . .42 

50. The discouraging effects of the massacre, . . .43 

51. The corporation in England are the chief cause of misfortunes in 

Virginia, . . • . . . .43 

52. The company dissolved, and the colony taken into the king's 

hands, . . . . . . . .44 

CHAPTER IV. 

History of Vie government, from the dissolution of the company to the 

year 1707. 

s 

$53. King Charles First establishes the constitution of government, in 

the methods appointed by the first assembly, . . .45 

54. The ground of the ill settlement of Virginia, . . .45 

55. Lord Baltimore in Virginia, . . . . .46 

56. Lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland, . . .46 
Maryland named from the queen, . . . .46 

57. Young Lord Baltimore seats Mai yland, . . . .46 
Misiortune to Virginia, by making Maryland a distinct govern- 
ment, . . . . . . . .47 

58. Great grants and defalcations from Virginia, . . .47 

59. Governor Harvey sent prisoner to England, and by the king re- 

manded back governor again, . . . . .47 

60. The last Indian massacre, . . . . .48 

61 . A character and account of Oppechancanough, the Indian em- 

peror, . . , .... 48 

62. Sir William Berkeley made governor, . . . .49 

63. He takes Oppechancanough prisoner, . . . .49 
OppechancaDough's death, . . . . .50 

64. A new peace with the Indians, but the country disturbed by the 

troubles in England, . . . . . -50 

65. Virginia subdued by the protector, Cromwell, . . .50 

66. He binds the plantations by an act of navigation, . . 51 

67. His jealousy and change of governors in Virginia, . . 51 

68. Upon the death of Matthews, the protector's governor, Sir Wil- 

liam Berkeley is chosen by the people, . . .52 

69. He proclaims King Charles II before he was proclaimed in 

England, . . . . . • .52 

70. King Charles II renews Sir William Berkeley's commission, . 52 

71. Sir William Berkeley makes Colonel Morrison deputy governor, 

and goes to England, . ■ . • . .53 

The king renews the act concerning the plantation, . . 53 

72. The laws revised, . . . . .53 
The church of England established by law, . • .53 

73. Clergy provided for by law, . . . . .53 

74. The public charge of the government sustained by law, . 53 

75. Encouragement of particular manufactures by law, . . 54 

76. The instruction for all ships to enter at Jamestown, used by law, 54 

77. Indian allairs settled by law, ... -54 

78. Jamestown encouraged by law, . . • . .54 
79 Upstraints upon sectaries in religion, . 55 



VI THE TABLE. . 

80. A plot to subvert the government, . . . .55 

81. The defeat of the plot, . . . . . .55 

82. An anniversary feast upon that occasion, , . .56 

83. The king commands the building a fort at Jamestown, . 56 

84. A new restraint on the plantations by act of parliament, . 56 

85. Endeavors for a stint in planting tobacco, . . .56 

86. Another endeavor at a stint defeated, . . . .57 

87. The king sent instructions to build forts, and confine the trade to 

certain ports, . ...... 57 

88. The disappointment of those ports, . . . .58 

89. Encouragement of manufactures enlarged, . . .58 

90. An attempt to discovery the country backward, . .59 
Captain Batt's relation of that discovery, . . .59 

91. Sir William Berkeley intends to procecute that discovery in person, 60 

92. The grounds of Bacon's rebellion, . . . .60 
Four ingredients thereto, . . . . .61 

93. First, the low price of tobacco, . . . . .61 
Second, splitting the country into proprieties, . . .61 
The country send agents, to complain of the propriety grants, . 61 

94. Third, new duties by act in England on the plantations, . 62 

95. Fourth, disturbances on the land frontiers by the Indians, . 62 
First, by the Indians on the head of the bay, . . .62 
Second, by the Indians on their own frontiers, . . .63 

96. The people rise against the Indians, . . . .63 
They choose Nathan Bacon, jr., for their leader, . . 63 

97. He heads them, and sends to the governor for a commission, . 64 

98. He begins his march without a commission, . . .64 
The governor sends for him, . . . . .65 

99. Bacon goes down in a sloop with forty of his men to the governor, 65 

100. Goes away in a huff, is pursued and brought back by governor, 65 

101. Bacon steals privately out of town, and marches down to the as- 

sembly with six hundred of his volunteers, . . .65 

102. The governor, by advice of assembly, signs a commission to Mr. 
Bacon to be general, . . . . . .66 

66 
66 
66 
67 
67 
67 
67 
69 
69 
69 
69 
70 
70 
70 



103. Bacon being marched away with his men is proclaimed rebel, 

104. Bacon returns with his forces to Jamestown, 

105. The governor flies to Accomac, .... 
The people there begin to make terms with him, 

106. Bacon holds a convention of gentlemen, 
They propose to take an oath to him, 

107. The forms of the oath, ..... 

108. The governor makes head against him, . 
General Bacon's death, ..... 

109. Bacon's followers surrender upon articles, 

110. The agents compound with the proprietors, 

1 1 1 . A new charter to Virginia, .... 

112. Soldiers arrive from England, .... 

113. The dissolution by Bacon's rebellion, 

114. Commissioners arrive in Virginia, and Sir William Berkeley re 

turns to England, . . . . . .71 

115. Herbert Jeffreys, esq., governor, concludes peace with Indians, 71 

116. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, builds forts against Indians, 71 
The assembly prohibited the importation of tobacco, . . 72 

117. Lord Colepepper, governor, . . . . .72 

118. Lord Colepepper's first assembly, . . #72 
He passes several obliging acts to the country, . . ,72 



THE TABLE. 



VII 



119. He doubles the governor's salary, 

120. He imposes the perquisite of ship money, 

121. He, by proclamation, raises the value of Spanish coins, and 

lowers it again, ..... 

122. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, . 
The plant cutting, ..... 

123. Lord Colepepper's second assembly, 
He takes away appeals to the assembly, 

124. His advantage thereby in the propriety of the Northern Neck, 

1 25. He retrenches the new methods of court proceedings, 

126. He dismantled the forts on the heads of rivers, and appointed 

rangers in their stead, ..... 

1 27. Secretary Spencer, president, . 

128. Lord Effingham, governor, .... 
Some of his extraordinary methods of getting money, . 
Complaints against him, .... 

129. Duty on liquors first raised, . 

130. Court of Chancery by Lord Effingham, 

131. Colonel Bacon, president, .... 
The college designed, ..... 

132. Francis Nicholson, lieutenant governor, . 
He studies popularity, , 
The college proposed to him, .... 
He refuses to call an assembly, .... 

133. He grants a brief to the college, 

134. The assembly address King William and Queen Mary for a col 

lege charter, ...... 

The education intended by this college, . 

The assembly present the lieutenant governor, . 

His method of securing this present, 

135. Their majesties grant the charter, 
They grant liberally towards the building and endowing of it, 

136. The lieutenant governor encourages towns and manufactures, 
Gentlemen of the council complain of him and are misused, 
He falls off from the encouragement of the towns and trade, 

137. Edmund Andros, governor, .... 
The town law suspended, .... 

138. The project of a post office, .... 

139. The college charter arrived, .... 
The college further endowed, and the foundation laid, . 

140. Sir Edmund Andros encourages manufactures, and regulates 

the secretary's office, ...... 

141 . A child.born in the old age of the parents, 

142. Francis Nicholson, governor, .... 
His and Colonel Q,uarrey's memorials against plantations, 

143. His zeal for the church and college, 

144. He removes the general court from Jamestown, . 

145. The taking of the pirate, .... 

146. The sham bills of nine hundred pounds for New York, . 

147. Colonel Quarrey's unjust memorials, 

148. Governor Nott arrived, ..... 

149. Revisal of the law finished, .... 

150. Ports and towns again set on foot, 

151. Slaves a real estate, ..... 

152. A house built for the governor, .... 
Governor dies, and the college burnt, 



VIII THE TABLE. 

153. Edmond Jennings, esq., president, . . . .89 

154. Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor, . . .89 

BOOK II. 

Natural Productions and Conveniences of Virginia in its 
unimproved state, before the English went thither. 

CHAPTER I. 

Bounds and Coast of Virginia. 

» 

§1. Present bounds of Virginia, . . . . .90 

2. Chesapeake bay, and the sea coast of Virginia, . . .91 

3- What is meant by the word Virginia in this book, . . 91 

CHAPTER II. 
Of the Waters. 

§4. Conveniency of the bay and rivers, . . . .93 

5. Springs and fountains descending to the rivers, . . .93 

6. Damage to vessels by the worm, , . . . .94 
Ways of avoiding that damage, . . . . .94 

CHAPTER III. 

Earths, and Soils. 

§7. The soil in general, . . . . . .96 

River lands — lower, middle and upper, . . . .96 

8. Earths and clays, ....... 98 

Coal, slate and stone, and why not used, . . . .98 

9. Minerals therein, and iron mine formerly wrought upon, . 98 
Supposed gold mines lately discovered, . . . .99 
That this gold mine was the supreme seat of the Indian temples 

formerly, . . . . . . .99 

That their chief altar was there also, . . . .99 

Mr. Whitaker's account of a silver mine; . . .99 

10. Hills in Virginia, . . . . . . 100 

Springs in the high lands, . . . . .101 

CHAPTER IV. 

Wild Fruits. 

$11. Spontaneous fruits in general, « 102 

12. Stoned fruits, viz : cherries, plums and persimmons, . . 102 

13. Berries, viz : mulberries, currants, hurts, cranberries, raspberries 

and strawberries, . . . . . ..„ 103 

14. Of nuts, . • . ... . . .104 

15. Of grapes, ....... 105 

The report of some French vignerons formerly sent in thither, . 107 

16. Honey, and the sugar trees, ..... 107 

17. Myrtle tree, and myrtle wax, * 108 
Hops growing wild, . . . . . .109 

18. Great variety of seeds, plants and flowers, . . . 109 
Two snake roots, . . * . . . 109 
Jamestown weed, . . . . . .110 

Some curious flowers, . . . . . .Ill 



THE TABLE. 



IX 



19. Creeping vines hearing fruits, viz: melons, pompions, macocks, 

gourds, maracocks, and cushaws, 

20. Other fruits, roots and plants of the Indians, 
Several sorts of Indian corn, 
Of potatoes, .... 
Tobacco, as it was ordered by the Indians, 

CHAPTER V. 

Fish. 

$21. Great plenty and variety of fish, 

Vast shoals of herrings, shad, &c., 
22. Continuality of the fishery, 

The names of some of the best edible fish, 

The names of some that are not eaten, . 

Indian children catching fish, 

Several inventions of the Indians to take fish, 

Fishing hawks and bald eagles, . 

Fish dropped in the orchard, 

CHAPTER VI. 

Wild Fowl and Hunted Game 

§25. Wild Water Fowl, 

26. Game in the marshes and watery grounds, 

27. Game in the highlands and frontiers, 
Of the Opossum, 
Some Indian ways of hunting, . 
Fire hunting, .... 
Their hunting quarters, . 

Conclusion, .... 



83. 
24. 



28. 



29 



112 

111 
11 ! 
115 
lib 



117 
117 
118 
118 
118 

li- 
no 

1:21 
121 



123 
123 
123 
124 

124 
I:! 
125 
126 



BOOK III. 

Indians, their Religion, Laws and Customs, in War and Peace. 

CHAPTER I. 

Persons of the Indians, and their Dress. 

$1. Persons of the Indians, their color and shape, . . .127 

2. The cut of their hair, and ornament of their head, . .128 

3. Of their vesture, . . . . . . .128 

4. Garb peculiar to their priests and conjurors, . . . 130 

5. Of the women's dress, . . . . . .131 

CHAPTER II. 
Matrimony of the Indians, and Management of their Children. 

§6. Conditions of their marriage, . . . . .133 

7. Maidens, and the story of their prostitution. . . .133 

8. Management of the young children, . . . .134 

CHAPTER III. 
Tmcns, Building and Fortification of tin Indians. 

$9. Towns and kingdoms of the Indiaus, . . . .135 

10. Manner of their building, . • . . .135 

11. Their fuel, or firewood, . . ... 136 



THE TABLE 



12. Their seats and lodgirjg, 

13. Their fortification!, 



CHAPTER IV. 

Cookery and Food of the Indians. 
m 
§14. Their cookery, 

15. Their several sorts of food, 

16. Their times of eating, 

17. Their drink, 

18. Their ways of dining, 

CHAPTER V. 

Traveling, Reception and entertainment of the Indians. 

§19. Manner of their traveling, and provision they make for it, 
Their way of concealing their course, 

20. Manner of their reception of strangers, 
The pipe of peace, . . . 

21. Their entertainment of honorable friends, 

CHAPTER VI. 

Learning and Languages of the Indians. 

§22. That they are without letters, 

Their descriptions by hieroglyphics, . , 

Heraldry and arms of the Indians, 
23. That they have different languages, 

Their general language, .... 

CHAPTER VII. 
War and Peace of the Indians. 

§24. Their consultations and war dances, , 

25. Their barbarity upon a victory, ..... 

26. Descent of the crown, ..*... 

27. Their triumphs for victory, . . , . 

28. Their treaties of peace, and ceremonies upon conclusion of peace, 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Religion, fVorship and Superstitious Customs of the Indians. 

§29. Their quioccassan and idol of worship, 
30. Their notions of God, and worshiping the evil spirit, 
, 31. Their pawwawing or conjurations, 

32. Their huskanawing, 

33. Reasons of this custom, . 

34. Their offerings and sacrifice, " . 

35. Their set leasts, • 

36. Their account of time, . 

37. Their superstition and zealotry, . 

38. Their regard to the priests and magicians, 

39. Places of their worship and sacrifice, 
Their pawcorances or altar stones, 

40. Their care of the bodies of their princes after death, 



136 
136 



138 
139 
140 
140 
141 



142 
142 
143 
143 
145 



147 
140 
147 

148 
148 



149 
149 
150 
150 
151 



152 
155 
157 
160 
164 
165 
165 
165 
166 
167 
168 
168 
169 



THE TABLE 



XI 



CHAPTER IX. 
Diseases and Cures of the Indians. 

§41. Their diseases in general, and burning for cure, 
Their sucking, scarifying and blistering, 
Priests' secrecy in the virtues of plants, . 
Words wisoccan, wighsacan' and woghsacan, 
Their physic, and the method of it, 

42. Their bagnios or baths, 
Their oiling after sweating, 



CHAPTER X. 

Sports and Pastimes of Vie Indians. 



171 
171 
171 
172 
172 
172 
173 



Their sports and pastimes in general, 


. 175 


Their singing, ..... 


• 175 


Their dancing, ..... 


. 1 75 


A mask used among them, 


. 176 


Their musical instruments, 


. 177 



§43. 



CHAPTER XI. 

Laws, and Authorities of the Indians among one another. 

§44. Their laws in genera], . . . . . .178 

Their severity and ill manners, . . . . .178 

Their implacable resentments, . . . . .179 

45. Their honors, preferments and authorities, . . .179 

Authority of the priests and conjurers, . . . 179 

Servants or black boys, . . . . . -179 

CHAPTER XII. 

Treasure or Riches of the Indians. 

§46. Indian money and goods, . . . . .180 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Handicrafts of the Indians. 

§47. Their lesser crafts, as making bows and arrows, . .182 

48. Their making canoes, ...... 182 

Their clearing woodland ground, . . . .183 

49. Account of the tributary Indians, . . . . 1 85 

BOOK IV. 

Present State of Virginia. 

PART I. 

Polity and Government. 
CHAPTER I. 

Constitution of Government in Virginia. 

§1. Constitution of government in general, .... 186 
2. Governor, his authority and salary, . . . .188 



XII 



THE TABLE. 



4. 



Council and their authority, 
House of burgesses, 



189 
190 



§5. 
6. 

7. 



CHAPTER II. 

Sub-Divisions of Virginia. 

Division of the country, ...... 192 

Division of the country by necks of land, counties and parishes, . 192 
Division of the country by districts for trade by navigation, . 194 

CHAPTER III. 

Public Offices of Government. 

§8. General officers as are immediately commissionated from the throne, 196 
Auditor, Receiver General and Secretary, . 
Salaries of those officers, . 
9. Other general officers, 

Ecclesiastical commissary and country's treasurer 

10. Other public officers by commission, 
Escheators, .... 
Naval officers and collectors, 
Clerks and sheriffs, 
Surveyors of land and coroners, . 

1 1 . Other officers without commission, 



196 
197 
197 
197 
197 
198 
198 
198 
199 
199 



§12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 

16. 
17. 



§18. 

19. 
20. 
21. 



§22. 
23. 
24. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Standing Revenues or Public Funds. 

Public funds in general, ...... 200 

Quit rent fund, ....... 200 

Funds for maintenance of the government, . . . 201 
Funds for extraordinary occasions, under the disposition of the as- 
sembly, . 201 

Revenue granted by the act of assembly to the college, . . 202 

Revenue raised by act of parliament in EDgland from the trade 



there, 

CHAPTER V. 

Levies for Payment of the Public, County and Parish Debts. 

Several ways of raising money, 

Titheables, 

Public levy, 

County levy, 

Parish levy, 

CHAPTER VI. 

Courts of Law in Virginia, 

Constitution of their courts, 

Several sorts of courts among them, 

General court in particular, and its jurisdiction, 



202 



203 
203 
203 
204 
204 



205 
206 
206 



THE TABLE . 



XIII 



25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30. 
31. 
32. 



Times of holding a general court, 


. 206 


Officers attending this court, 


. 206 


Trials by juries and empannelling grand juries, . 


. 207 


Trial of criminals, .... 


. 207 


Time of suits, ..... 


. 208 


Lawyers and pleadings, .... 


. 208 


County courts ..... 


. 208 


Orphans' courts, .... 


. 209 



§33. 
• I. 
35. 
36. 
37. 
38. 
39. 



00. 
41. 
42. 
43. 
44. 



§45. 
4G. 
47. 
48. 
49. 



§50. 
51, 
52. 



§53. 
54. 
55. 



§56. 
57. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Church and Church Jljfairs. 

Parishes, ..... 

Churches and chapels in each parish, 

Religion of the country, . 

Benefices of the clergy, . 

Disposition of parochial affairs, . 

Probates, administrations, and marriage licenses, 

Induction of ministers, and precariousness of their livings, 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Concerning the College. 

College endowments, ..... 
The college a corporation, .... 

Governors and visitors of the college in perpetual succession, 
College buildings, ..... 

Boys and schooling, ..... 

CHAPTER IX. 

Military Strength in Virginia. 

Forts and fortifications, . 

Listed militia, .... 

Number of the militia, 

Service of the militia, 

Other particulars of the troops and companies, 

CHAPTER X. 

Servants and Slaves. 

Distinction between a servant and a slave, 

Work of their servants and slaves, 

Laws in favor of servants, .... 

CHAPTER XL 

Provision for the Poor, and other Public Charitable Works. 

Legacy to the poor, ..... 
Parish methods in maintaining their poor, 
Free schools, and schooling of children, . 

CHAPTER XII. 
Tenure of Lands and Grants. 

Tenure and patents of their lands, 
Several ways of acquiring grants of land. 



210 
210 
210 
210 
211 
212 
213 



214 
214 
215 
215 
215 



217 
217 
217 
218 
218 



219 
219 
220 



223 
223 
22 1 



225 
225 



XIV 



THE TABLE. 



58. 
59. 
60. 
61. 



§62. 
63, 



§64. 



§65. 
66. 

67. 



09. 



Rights to land, . . . . . . ' 

Patents upon survey, ..... 

Grants of lapsed land, 

Grants of escheat land, ..... 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Liberties and Naturalization of Miens. 

Naturalizations, ...... 

French refugees at the Manican town, . 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Currency and Valuation of Coins. 

Coins current among them, what rates, and why carried 
among them to the neighboring plantations, 

PART II. 

Husbandry and Improvements. 

CHAPTER XV. 

People, Inhabitants of Virginia. 

First peopling of Virginia, .... 

First accession of wives to Virginia, 

Other ways by which the country was increased in people, 

CHAPTER XVI. 



225 

225 
226 
227 



228 
228 



from 



230 



Public buildings, 
Private buildings, 



Buildings in Virginia. 



CHAPTER XVII. 
Edibles, Potables and Fuel. 



231 

231 
232 



234 
235 



§70. Cookery, . 


. 236 


71. Flesh and fish, .... 


. 236 


72. Bread, 


. 237 


73. Their kitchen gardens, . 


. 237 


74. Their drinks, . 


. 238 


75. Their fuel, ' 


.238 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Clothing in Virginia. 

§76. Clothing, ....... 239 

Slothfulness in handicrafts, ..... 239 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Temperature of the Climate, and the Inconveniences attending it. 

§77. Natural temper and mixture of the air, .... 240 
78. Climate and happy situation of the latitude, . . . 240 



r n K TABL K 



XV 



79. Occasions of its ill character,, 
Rural pleasures, .... 

80. Annoyances, or occasions of uneasiness, 

Thunders, .... 

Heat, ..... 
Troublesome insects, 

81. Winters, .... 

Sudden changes of the weather, 

CHAPTER XX. 

Diseases incident to the Country. 

§82. Diseases in general, . 

83. Seasoning, . . . - 

84. Cachexia and yaws, 

85. Gripes, ...... 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Recreations and Pastimes in Virginia. 



241 
241 
243 
243 
243 
243 
250 
251 



252 
253 
253 
253 



§86. Diversions in general, .... 


. 254 


87. Deer-hunting, . . . . . . 


. 254 


88. Hare-hunting, ..... 


. 254 


89. Vermin-hunting, .... 


. 255 


90. Taking wild turkies, .... 


. 256 


91. Fishing, . 


. 256 


92. Small game, ..... 


. 256 


93. Beaver, ..... 


. 256 


94. Horse-hunting, ..... 


. 257 


95. Hospitality, ...... 


. 258 



CHAPTER XXII. 
A'atural Product of Virginia, and tlie Advantages of Husbandry. 

§96. Fruits, . 

97. Grain, 

98. Linen, silk and cotton, 

99. Bees and catde, . 

100. Usefulness of the woods, 

101. Indolence of the inhabitants, 



259 
261 
261 
262 
263 
263 



THE PREFACE. 



My first business in the world being among the public records oi 
my country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking 
notes of the general administration of the government; but with no 
other design, than the gratification of my own inquisitive mind; these 
lay by me for many years afterwards, obscure and secret, and would 
forever have done so, had not the following accident produced them : 

In the year 1703, my affairs calling me to England, I was soon 
after my arrival, complimented by my bookseller with an intimation, 
that there was prepared for printing a general account of all her ma- 
jesty's plantations in America, and his desire, that I would overlook- 
it before it was put to the press; I agreed to overlook that part of it 
which related to Virginia. 

Soon after this he brings me about six sheets of paper written, 
which contained the account of Virginia and Carolina. This it seems 
was to have answered a part of Mr. Oldmixion's British Empire in 
America. I very innocently, (when I began to read,) placed pen and 
paper by me, and made my observations upon the first page, but 
found it in the sequel so verv faulty, and an abridgement only of 
some accounts that had been printed sixty or seventy years ago; in 
which also he had chosen the most strange and untrue parts, and 
left out the more sincere and faithful, so that I laid aside all thoughts 
of further observations, and gave it only a reading; and my bookseller 
for answer, that the account was too faulty and too imperfect to be 
mended ; withal telling him, that seeing I had in my junior days 
taken some notes of the government, which I then had with me in Eng- 
land, I would make him an account of my own country, if I could find 
nine, while 1 slaiil in London. And this I should the rather undertake in 
justice to so fine a country, because it has deen so misrepresented to 
the common people of England, as to make them believe that the ser- 
vants in Virginia are made to draw in cart and plow as horses and 
oxen do in England, and that the country turns all people black who 
<ro to live there, with other such prodigious phantasms. 

Accordingly, before I left London. I gave him a short history of the 
country, from the first settlement, with an account of its then state; 
but I would not lei him mingle it with Oldmixion's other account of 
the plantations, because 1 took them to be all of a piece with those I 
had seen of Virginia and Carolina, but desired mine to be printed 
C 



XVIII PREFACE. 

by itself. And this I take to be the only reason of that gentleman's re- 
flecting so severely upon me in his book, for I never saw him in my life 
that I know of. 

But concerning that work of his, I may with great truth say, that 
(notwithstanding his boast of having the assistance of many 'original 
papers and memorials that I had not the opportunity of) he nowhere 
varies from the account that I gave, nor advances anything new of his 
own, but he commits so many errors, and imposes so many falsities 
upon the world, To instance some few out of the many : 

Page 210, he says that they were near spent with cold, which is 
impossible in that hot country. 

Page 220, he says that Captain Weymouth, in 1605, entered Pow- 
hatan river southward of the bay of Chesapeake; whereas 

Powhatan river is now called James river, and lies within the mouth 
of Chesapeake bay some miles, on the west side of it; and Captain 
Weymouth's voyage was only to Hudson's river, which is in New 
York, much northward of the capes of Virginia. 

Page 236, he jumbles the Potomac and eastern shore Indians as if 
they lived together, and never quarrelled with the English ; whereas 
the last lived on the east side the great bay of Chesapeake, and the 
other on the west. The eastern shore Indians never had any quarrel 
with the English, but the Potomacs used many treacheries and enmities 
towards us, and joined in the intended general massacre, but by a 
timely discovery were prevented doing 1 anything. 

Page 245, he says that Morrison held an assembly, and procured 
that body of laws to be made ; whereas Morrison only made an abridg- 
ment of the laws ,then in being, and compiled them into a regular 
body; and this he did by direction of Sir William Berkeley, who, 
upon his going to England, left Morrison his deputy governor. 

Page 248, he says (viz: in Sir William Berkeley's time) the 
English could send seven thousand men into the field, and have 
twice as many at home; whereas at this day they cannot do that, and 
yet have three times as many people in the country as they had then. 

By page 251, he seems altogether ignorant of the situation of Vir 
ginia, the head of the bay and New York, for he there says : 

" When the Indians at the head of the bay traveled to New York, 
they past, going and coming, by the frontiers of Virginia, and traded 
with the Virginians, &c, ;" whereas the head of the bay is in the 
common route of the Indians traveling from New York to Virginia, 
and much about halfway. 

Page 255, he says Sir William Berkeley withdrew himself from his 
government; whereas he went not out of it, for the counties of Acco- 
mac and Northampton, to which he retired^ when the rebels rose. 



PBEVAOS. SIX 

were two couoties of' his government, and only divided lrom th res! 
by the bay of Chesapeake. 

Page 266, he says, Dr. Thomas Bray went over to be president of 
the college in Virginia; whereas he was sent to Maryland, as the 
bishop's commissary there. And Mr. Blair, in the charter to the college, 
was made president during lii'e, and is still alive. He also says, that 
all that was subscribed for the college came to nothing; whereas all 
the subscriptions were in a short time paid in, and expended upon the 
college, of which two or three stood suit, and were cast. 

Page 269, be tells of camels brought by some Guina ships to Vir- 
ginia, but had not then heard how they throve with us. 1 don't know 
how he should, for there never was any such thing done. 

Then his geography of the country is most absurd, notwithstanding 
the wonderful care he pretends to have of the maps, and his expert 
knowledge of the new surveys, (page 278) making almost as many 
limits as descriptions. For instance: 

Page 272, Prince George county, which lies all on the southside of 
James river, he places on the north, and says that part of James City 
county, and four of the parishes of it, lie on the southside of James river ; 
whereas not one inch of it has so done these sixty years. 

Page 273, his account of Williamsburg is most romantic and untrue; 
and so is his account of the college, page 302, 303. 

Page 274, he makes Elizabeth and Warwick counties to he upon 
York river; whereas both of them lie upon James river, and neither 
of them comes near York river. 

Page 275, he places King William county above New Kent, and on 
both sides Pamunkey river; whereas it lies side by side with New 
Kent, and all on the north side Pamunkey river. He places King and 
Queen county upon the south of New Kent, at the head of Chick- 
ahominy river, which he says rises in it; whereas that county lies 
north of New Kent lrom head to foot, and two large rivers and two 
entire counties are between the head of Chickahominy and King & 
Queen. Essex, Richmond and Stafford counties, are as much wrong 
placed. 

He says that York and Rappahannock rivers issue out of low marshes, 
ami not from the mountains as the other rivers, which note he has 
taken from some old maps ; but is a false account from my own view, 
lor I was with our present governor at the head spring of both those 
rivers, and their fountains are in the highest ridge of mountains. 

Page 276, he says that the neck of land between Niccocomoco river 
antl the bay, is what goes by the name of the northern neck ; whereas 
it is not above the twentieth part of the northern neck, for that con- 
tains all that track of land which is between Rappahannock and IV 
tmii.tr rivt i 



XX PREFACE. 

How unfailhful and fronlless must, such an historian be, who can 
upon guess work introduce such falsities for truth, and bottom them 
upon such bold assertions? It would make a book larger than his 
own to expose his errors, for even the most general offices of the 
government he misrecites. 

Page 298, he says the general court is called the quarter court, and 
is held every quarter of a year; whereas it never was held but three 
times a year, tho' it was called a quarter court. When he wrote, it 
was held but twice a year, as I had wrote in my book, and has not 
been called a quarter court these seventy-nine years. The county courts 
were never limited in their jurisdiction to any summons, neither was 
the sheriff ever a judge in them, as he would have it, but always a 
ministerial officer to execute their process, &c. 

The account that I have given in the following sheets is plain and 
true, and if it be not written with so much judgment, or in so good 
a method and style as I could wish, yet in the truth of it I rest fully 
satisfied. In this edition I have also retrenched such particulars as 
related only to private transactions, and characters in the historical part, 
as being too diminutive to be transmitted to posterity, and set down 
•the succession of the goveraors, with the more general incidents of 
their government, without reflection upon the private conduct of any 
person. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The name of Beverley has long heen a familiar one in Vir- 
ginia. It is said that the family may be traced among the re- 
cords of the town of Beverley in England, as far back as to 
the time of King John. During the reign of Henry VIII, 
one of the Beverleys was appointed by the Crown a commis- 
sioner for enquiring into the state and condition of the north- 
ern monasteries. The family received some grants of church 
property, and one branch of them settled at Shelby, the other 
at Beverley, in Yorkshire. In the time of Charles I, John 
Beverley of Beverley adhered to the cause of royalty, and at 
the restoration his name appears in the list of those upon 
whom it was intended to confer the order of the Royal Oak. 
Robert Beverley of Beverley, the representative of the family, 
having sold his possessions in that town, removed with a con- 
siderable fortune to Virginia, where he purchased extensive 
tracts of land. He took up his residence in the county of 
Middlesex. Elected clerk of the House of Burgesses, he con- 
tinued to hold that office until 1G7G, the year of Bacon's re- 
bellion, in suppressing which he rendered important services, 
and by his loyal gallantry won the marked favor of the Go- 
vernor, Sir William Berkley. In 1682 the discontents of Vir- 
ginia arose again almost to the pitch of rebellion. Two ses- 
sions of the Assembly having been spent in angry and fruitless 
disputes, between Lord Culpepper, the Governor, and the House 
of Burgesses, in May of that year, the malecontents in the 
counties of Gloucester, New Kent and Middlesex, proceeded 
riotously to cut up the tobacco plants in the beds, especially 



& INTRODUCTION. 

the sweet-scented, which was produced nowhere else. Culpep- 
per, the Governor, prevented further waste by patrols of horse. 
The ringleaders were arrested, and some of them hanged upon 
a charge of treason. A riot-act was also passed, making plant- 
cutting high treason, the- necessity of which act evinces the 
illegality of the execution of these unfortunate plant-cutters. 
The vengeance of the government fell heavily upon Major Ro- 
bert Beverley, clerk of the House of Burgesses, as the prin- 
cipal instigator of these disturbances. He had before incurred 
the displeasure of the governor and council, by refusing to 
deliver up to them copies of the legislative journal, without 
permission of the Assembly. Thus by a firm adherence to his 
duty, he drew down upon himself an unrelenting persecution. 

In May, 1682, he was committed a prisoner on board the 
ship, the Duke of York, lying in the Rappahannock river. 
Ralph Wormley, Matthew Kemp, and Christopher Wormley, 
were directed to seize the records in Beverley's possession, 
and to break open doors if necessary. Beverley was after- 
wards transferred from the Duke of York to the ship Con- 
cord, and a guard was set over him. Contriving however to 
escape from the custody of the sheriff at York, the fugitive was 
retaken at his own house in Middlesex county, and transported 
over to the county of Northampton, on the Eastern Shore. 
Some months afterwards he applied by his attorney, Wi 1 ' n 
Fitzhugh, for a writ of habeas corpus, which however was re- 
fused. In a short time being again found at large, he wai 
again arrested, and remanded to Northampton. In 1683 new 
charges were brought against him : 1st. That he had broken 
open letters addressed to the Secretary's office ; 2d. That he 
had made up the journal, and inserted his Majesty's letter 
therein, notwithstanding it had been first presented at the 
time of the prorogation ; 3d. That in 1682 he had refused to 
deliver copies of the journal to the governor and council, 
saying "he might not do it without leave of his masters." 

In May, 1684, Major Robert Beverley was found guilty of 
high misdemeanors, but judgment being respited, and the 
prisoner asking pardon on his bended knees, was released 
upon giving security^ for his good behavior in the penalty of 
.£2,000. The abject terms in which he now sued for pardon, 



INTRODUCTION. * 

form a singular contrast to the constancy of his former re- 
sistance, and the once gallant and loyal Beverley, the stren- 
uous partizan of Berkley, thus became the victim of that 
tyranny which he had once so resolutely defended. He had 
not however lost the esteem of his countrymen, for in 1685 he 
was again elected clerk of the Assembly. This body strenuously 
resisted the negative power claimed by the governor, and 
passed resolutions complaining strongly of his tyranny. He 
negatived them, and prorogued the Assembly. James II, in- 
dignant at these democratical proceedings, ordered their disso- 
lution, and attributing these disorders mainly to Robert Bever- 
ly, their clerk, commanded that he should be incapable of 
holding any office, and that he should be prosecuted, and that 
in future the appointment of their clerk should be made by 
the governor. 

In the spring of 1687 Robert Beverley died, the persecu- 
ted victim of an oppressive government. , Long a distinguished 
loyalist, he lived to become a sort of patriot martyr. It is 
thus that in the circle of life extremes meet. Ho married 
Catherine Hone of James City, and their children were four 
sons : Peter, William, Harry, and Robert, (the historian,) and 
three daughters, who married respectively, William Randolph, 
eldest son of William Randolph of Turkey Island ; Sir John 
1 lolph, his brother, of Williamsburg; and John Robinson. 
.Peter Beverley was appointed clerk of the Assembly in 1691. 
I In the preface to the first edition of his History of Vir- 
ginia, published at London 1705, Robert Beverley says of 
himself: "I am an Indian, and don't pretend to be exact in 
my language." This intimation may perhaps have been merely 
playful, but the full and minute account that he has given 
of the Indians, shows that he took a peculiar interest in that 
race. 

In tho preface to the second edition of his history, now 
republished, he remarks ; " My first business in this world being 
among the public records of my country, the acflve thoughts 
of my youth put me upon taking notes of the general ad- 
ministration of the government." He was probably a deputy 
in his father's office, and perhaps also in that of his brother 
Peter Beverley. This Peter Beverley was in 1714 promoted 



4 INTRODUCTION. 

to the place of speaker of the House of Burgesses, and he 
was subsequently treasurer of the colony. Robert Beverley, 
the historian, was born in Virginia, and educated in England. 
He married Ursula, daughter of William Byrd of Westover, 
on the James river. She lies buried at Jamestown. John 
Fontaine, son of a Huguenot refugee, having come over from 
England to Virginia, visited Robert Beverley, the author of this 
work, in the year 1715, at his residence, near the head of 
the Mattapony. Here he cultivated several varieties of the 
grape, native and French, in a vineyard of about three acres, 
situated upon the side of a hill, from which he made in that 
year four hundred gallons of wine. He went to very consider- 
able expense in this enterprise, having constructed vaults of a 
wine press. But Fontaine comparing his method with that used 
in Spain, deemed it erroneous, and that his vineyard was not 
rightly managed. The home-made wine Fontaine drank heartily 
of, and found it good, but he was satisfied by the flavor of it 
that Beverley did not understand how to make it properly. 
Beverley lived comfortably, yet although wealthy, had nothing 
in or about his house but what was actually necessary. He 
had good beds, but no curtains, and instead of cane chairs 
used wooden stools. He lived mainly within himself upon the 
products of his land. He had laid a sort of wager with some 
of the neighboring planters, he giving them one guinea in 
hand, and they promising to pay him each ten guineas, if in 
seven years he should cultivate a vineyard that would yield 
at one vintage seven hundred gallons of wine. Beverley there- 
upon paid them down one hundred pounds, and Fontaine en- 
tertained no doubt but that in the next year he would win 
the thousand guineas. Beverley owned a large tract of land 
at the place of his residence. On Sunday Fontaine accompanied 
him to his parish church, seven miles distant, where they 
heard a good sermon from the Rev. M. De Latane, a French- 
man. A son of Beverley accompanied Fontaine in some of 
his excursions in that neighborhood. On the banks of the 
Rappahannock, about five miles below the falls, (Fredericks- 
burg,) Fontaine came upon a tract of three thousand acres of 
land, which Beverley offered him at £1 10s. per hundred acres, 
and Fontaine would have purchased it, had not Beverley some- 



INTRODUCTION. O 

what singularly insisted upon making a title for nine hundred 
and ninety-nine years, instead of an absolute fee simple. 

On the 20th of August, 1716, Alexander Spotswood, Gover- 
nor of Virginia, accompanied by John Fontaine, started from 
Williamsburg on his expedition over the Appalachian mountains, 
as they were then called. Having crossed the York river at 
the Brick House, they lodged that night at Chelsea, the seat 
of Austin Moore, on the Mattapony river, in the county of King 
William. On the following night they were hospitably enter- 
tained by Robert Beverley at his residence. The governor left 
his chaise there, and mounted his horse for the rest of the 
journey. Beverley accompanied Spotswood in this exploration. 
On the 26th of August Spotswood was joined by several gen- 
tlemen, two small companies of rangers, and four Meherrin In- 
dians. The gentlemen of the party appear to have been Spots- 
wood, Fontaine, Beverley, Austin Smith, Todd, Dr. Bobinson, 
Taylor, Mason, Brooke, and Captains Clouder and Smith. The 
whole number of the party, including gentlemen, rangers, pion- 
eers, Indians and servants, was probably about fifty. They 
had with them a large number of riding and pack-horses, an 
abundant supply of provisions, and an extraordinary variety of 
liquors. 

The camps were named respectively after the gentlemen of 
the expedition, and the first one being that of the 29th of 
August, was named in honor of our historian, Robert Bever- 
ley. Here " they made," as Fontaine records in his diary, 
" great fires, supped and drank good punch." In the preface 
to this edition of the work, (1722,) Beverley says in reference 
to this Tramontane expedition, " I was with the present Go- 
vernor (Spotswood) at the head spring of both those rivers, 
(the York and the Rappahannock,) and their fountains are 
in the highest range of mountains." Thus k appears that the 
historian was one of the celebrated knights of the golden horse- 
shoe. 

An Abridgement of the Laws of Virginia, published at Lon- 
don in 1722 is ascribed to Robert Beverley. Filial indignation 
will naturally account for the acrimony which in his history 
he exhibits towards Lord Culpepper and Lord Howard of Ef- 
fingham, who had so persecuted his rather, the clerk of the 



<i Introduction. 

Assembly, and against Nicholson, who was Effingham's deputy. 
In his second edition, when time had mitigated his animosities, 
Beverley omitted some of his accusations against those governors. 

The first edition of Beverley's History of Virginia appeared 
at London in 1705. It was republished in French at Paris in 
1707, and in the same year an edition was issued at Amster- 
dam. The second English edition was published in 1722 at 
London. The work is dedicated to the Right Honorable Ro- 
bert Harley, so celebrated both as a statesman and as the 
patron of letters. 

In the title page appear only the initials of the author's 
name, thus : " R. B. Gent.," whence the blundering historian, 
Oldmixon, supposed his name to be " Bullock," and in some 
German catalogues he received the appellation of " Bird." 
Warden, an American writer, has repeated this last misnomer. 
Beverley's work is divided into four parts, styled Books, and 
the fourth book is again divided into two parts. 

Of the history j Mr. Jefferson in his " Notes on Virginia" has 
remarked, that it is " as concise and unsatisfactory as Stith is 
prolix and tedious. " This criticism, however, is only applicable 
to Beverley's first book, which includes the civil history of the 
colony ; the other three books on " the present state of Virginia" 
being sufficiently full and satisfactory. Brief as is the summary 
of history comprised in book first, it was probably quite ample 
enough for the taste of the readers of Beverley's day. His 
style of writing is easy, unsophisticated and pleasing, his sim- 
plicity of remark sometimes amusing, and the whole work breathes 
an earnest, downright, hearty, old-fashioned Virginia spirit. 
His account of the internal affairs of the colony is faithful, 
and in* the main correct, but in regard to events occurring 
beyond the precincts of Virginia, he is less reliable. The se- 
cond book treats of the boundary of Virginia, waters, earth and 
soil, natural products, fish, wild fowl and hunted game. Book 
third gives a full and minute description of the manners and 
customs of the Indians, illustrated by Gribelin's engravings. 
The contents are the persons and dress of the Indians, mar- 
riage and management of children, towns, buildings and fortifi- 
cations, cookery and food, travelling, reception and entertain- 
ments, language, war and peace, religion, diseases and remedies, 



INTRODUCTION. ( 

sports and pastimes, laws and government, money, goods and 
handicrafts. The fourth book relates to the government of the 
colony, its sub-divisions, public offices, revenues, taxes, courts, 
the church, the college of William and Mary, militia, servants 
and slaves, poor laws, free schools, tenure and conveyance of 
lands, naturalization and currency, the people, buildings, eatables, 
drinkables and fuel, climate, diseases, recreations, natural produc- 
tions, and the advantages of improved husbandry. The closing 
paragraph is as follows : " Thus they depend upon the libe- 
rality of Nature, without endeavoring to improve its gifts by 
art or industry. They sponge upon the blessings of a warm 
sun and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of 
gathering in the bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed 
to publish this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that 
I hope it will rouse them out of their lethargy, and excite 
them to make the most of all those happy advantages which 
Nature has given them, and if it does this, I am sure they 
will have the goodness to forgive me." Happily, at the pre- 
sent day, Virginia has been aroused from her iethargy, and 
with energetic efforts is developing her rich resources. It may 
be hoped that with these material improvements a wider inte- 
rest in the history of the past may be diffused, 
Petersburg, May 30M a 1854. 



HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 



BOOK I. 



CHAPTER I. 



SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO 
SETTLE VIRGINIA, BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF CHESA- 
PEAKE BAY. 

The learned and valiant Sir Walter Raleigh, having en- 
tertained some deeper and more serious considerations upon 
the state of the earth than most other men of his time, as 
may sufficiently appear by his incomparable book, the History 
of the World, and having laid together the many stories then 
in Europe concerning America, the native beauty, riches, and 
value of that part of the world, and the immense profits the 
Spaniards drew from a small settlement or two thereon made, 
resolved upon an adventure for farther discoveries. 

According to this purpose, in the year of our Lord 1583, 
he got several men of great value and estate to join in an 
expedition of this nature, and for their encouragement obtained 
letters patents from Q,ueen Elizabeth, bearing date the 25th 
of March, 1584, for turning their discoveries to their own 
advantage. 



FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. V> 

§ 2. In April following they set out two small ves.-els under 
the command of Capt. Philip Amidas and Capt. Arthur Bar- 
low, who after a prosperous voyage, anchored at the inlet 
by Roanoke, at present under the government of North Car- 
olina. They made good profit of the Indian truck, which 
they bought for things of much inferior value, and return- 
ed. Being overpleased with their profits, and finding all 
things there entirely new and surprising, they gave a very 
advantageous account of matters, by representing the country 
so delightful and desirable, so pleasant and plentiful ; the 
climate and air so temperate, sweet, and wholesome ; the 
woods and soil so charming and fruitful ; and all other things 
so agreeable, that paradise itself seemed to be there in its 
first native lustre. 

They gave particular accounts of the variety of good fruits, 
and some whereof they had never seen the like before ; espe- 
cially, that there were grapes in such abundance as was 
never known in the world. Stately tall large oaks, and 
other timber ; red cedar, cypress, pines, and other ever- 
greens and sweet woods, for tallness and largeness, exceed- 
ing all they had ever heard of; wild fowl, fish, deer, and 
other game in such plenty and variety, that no epicure 
could desire more than this new world did seem naturally 
to afford. 

And to make it yet more desirable, they reported the 
native Indians (which were then (he only inhabitants) so 
affable, kind, and good-natured ; so uncultivated in learn- 
ing, trades, and fashions ; so innocent and ignorant of all 
manner of politics, tricks, and gunning; and so desirous 
of the company of the English, that they seemed rather 
to be like soft wax, ready to take an impression, than any- 
ways likely to oppose the settling of the English near them. 
They represented it as a scene laid open for the good and 
gracious Queen Elizabeth to propagate the gospel in and 
extend her dominions over ; as if purposely reserved for 
her majesty by a peculiai direction of providence, that had 
brought all former adventures in this affair to nothing ; and 
to give a further taste of their discovery, they took with 
2 



10 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 

them in their return for England, two men of the native 
Indians, named Wanchese and Manteo. 

§ 3. Her majesty accordingly took the hint, and espoused 
the project as far as her present engagements in war with 
Spain would let her ; being so well pleased with the ac- 
count given, that as the greatest mark of honor she could 
do the discoverer, she called the country by the name of 
Virginia, as well for that it was first discovered in her 
reign, a virgin queen, as it did still seem to retain the 
virgin puiity and plenty of the first creation, and the peo- 
ple their primitive innocence ; for they seemed not debauch- 
ed nor corrupted with those pomps and vanities which had 
depraved and enslaved the rest of mankind ; neither were 
their hands hardened by labor, nor their minds corrupted 
by the desire of hoarding up treasure. They were with- 
out boundaries to their land, without property in cattle, 
and seem to have escaped, or rather not to have been 
concerned in the first curse, of getting their bread by 
the sweat of their brows, for by their pleasure alone they 
supplied all their necessities, namely, by fishing, fowling, 
and hunting ; skins being their only clothing, and these, 
too, five-sixths of the year thiown by; living without labor, 
and only gathering the fruits of the earth when ripe or 
fit for use ; neither fearing present want, nor solicitous for 
the future, but daily finding sufficient afresh for their sub- 
sistence. 

§ 4. This report was backed, nay, much advanced by the 
vast riches and treasure mentioned in several merchants' 
letters from Mexico and , Peru, to their correspondents in 
Spain, which letters were taken with their ships and treas- 
ure, by some of ours in her majesty's service, in prosecu- 
tion of the Spanish wars. This was encouragement enough 
for a new adventure, and set people's invention at work 
till they had satisfied themselves, and made sufficient essays 
for the farther discovery of the countrv. Pursuant where- 
unto, Sir Richard Greenvile, the chief of Sir Walter Ra- 
leigh's associates, having obtained seven sail of ships, well 
laden with provision, arms, ammunition, and spare men to 



FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 1 1 

make a settlement, set out in person with them early in 
the spring of the succeeding year to make farther discove- 
ries, taking back the two Indians with him, and accord- 
ing to his wish, in the latter end of May, arrived at the 
same place where the English had been the year before ; 
there he made a settlement, sowed beans and peas, which 
he saw come up and grow to admiration while he staid, 
which was about two months, and having made some little 
discoveries more in the sound to the southward, and got 
some treasure in skins, furs, pearl, and other rarities in the 
country, for things of inconsiderable value, he returned for 
England, leaving one hundred and eight men upon Roan- 
oke island, under the command of Mr. Ralph Lane, to 
keep possession. 

§ 5. As soon as Sir Richard Greenvile was gone, they, 
according to order and their own inclination, set themselves 
earnestly about discovering the country, and ranged about a 
little too indiscreetly up the rivers, and into the land backward 
from the rivers,, which gave the Indians a jealousy of their 
meaning ; for they cut off several stragglers of them, and had 
laid designs to destroy the rest, but were happily prevented. 
This put the English upon the precaution of keeping more 
within bounds, and not venturing themselves too defenceless 
abroad, who till then had depended too much upon the na- 
tives simplicity and innocence. 

. After the Indians had done this mischief, they never ob- 
served any real faith towards those English ; for being na- 
turally suspicious and revengeful themselves, they never 
thought the English could forgive them ; and so by this jea- 
lousy, caused by the cowardice of their nature, they were 
continually doing mischief. 

The English, notwithstanding all this, continued their dis- 
coveries, but more carefully than they had done before, and 
kept the Indians in some awe, by threatening them with the 
return of their companions again with a greater supply of 
men and goods ; and before the cold of the winter became 
uneasy, they had extended their discoveries near an hundred 
miles along the seacoast to the northward ; but not reaching- 



12 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 

the southern cape of Cheaspeake bay in Virginia, they had 
as yet found no good harbor. 

§ 6. In this condition they maintained their settlement all 
the winter, and till August following ; but were much dis- 
tressed for want of provisions, not having learned to gather 
food, as the Indians did, nor having conveniences like them of 
taking fish and fowl ; besides, being now fallen out with the 
Indians, they feared to expose themselves to their contempt 
and cruelty ; because they had not received the supply they 
talked of, and which had been expected in the spring. 

All they could do under these distresses, and the despair of 
the recruits promised them this year, was only to keep a good 
looking out to seaward, if, perchance, they might find any 
means of escape, or recruit. And to their great joy and satis- 
faction in August aforesaid, they happened to espy and make 
themselves be seen to Sir Francis Drake's fleet, consisting of 
twenty-three sail, who being sent by her majesty upon the 
coast of America, in search of the Spanish treasures, had 
orders from her majesty to take a view of, this plantation, 
and see what assistance and encouragement it wanted : Their 
first petition to him was to grant them a fresh supply of 
men and provisions, with a small vessel, and boats to attend 
them ; that so if they should be put to distress for want of 
relief, they might embark for England. This was as rea- 
dily granted by Sir Francis Drake, as asked by them ; and 
a ship was appointed them, which ship they began imme- 
diately to fit up, and supply plentifully with all manner of 
stores for a long stay ; but while they weie adoing this, a 
2;reat storm arose, and drove that very ship (with some others) 
from her anchor to sea, and so she was lost for that occasion. 

Sir Francis would have given them another ship, but this 
accident coming on the back of so many hardships which 
they had undergone, daunted them, and put them upon im- 
agining that Providence was averse to their designs ; and now 
having given over for that year the expectation of their 
promised supply from England, they consulted together, and 
agreed to desire Sir Francis Drake to take them along with 
him, which he did. 



FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 13 

Thus their first intention of settlement fell, after discovering 
many things of the natural growth of the country, useful for 
the life of man, and beneficial to trade, they having observed 
a vast variety of fish, fowl and beasts; fruits, seeds, plants, 
roots, timber-trees, sweet-woods and gums : They had like- 
wise attained some little knowledge in the language of the 
Indians, their religion, manners, and ways of correspond- 
ence one with another, and been made sensible of their cun- 
ning and treachery towards themselves. 

§ 7. While these things were thus acting in America, the 
adventurers in England were providing, though too tediously, 
to send them recruits. And though it was late before they 
could dispatch them (for they met with several disappoint- 
ments, and had many squabbles among themselves) ; how- 
ever, at last they provided four good ships, with all manner 
of recruits suitable for the colony, and Sir Walter Raleigh 
designed to go in person with them. 

Sir Walter got his ship ready first, and fearing the ill con- 
sequence of a delay, and the discouragement it might be to 
those that were left to make a settlement, he set sail by 
himself. And a fortnight after him Sir Richard Greenvile 
sailed with the three other ships. 

Sir Walter fell in with the land at Cape Hatteras, 
a little to the southward of the place, where the one 
hundred and eight men had been settled, and after search 
not finding them, he returned : However Sir Richard, with 
his ships, found the place where he had left the men, but 
entirely deserted, which was at first a great disheartening to 
him, thinking them all destroyed, because he knew not that 
Sir Francis Drake had been there and taken them off; but he 
was a little better satisfied by Manteo's report, that they were 
not cut off by the Indians, though he could give no good 
account what was become of them. However, notwith- 
standing this seeming discouragement, he again left fifty men 
in the same island of Roanoke, built them houses ne- 
cessary, gave them two years provision, and returned. 

§ 8. The next summer, being Anno 15S7, three ships 
more were sent, under the command of Mr. John White, 



14 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 

who himself was to settle there as governor with more men, 
and some women, carrying also plentiful recruits of pro- 
visions. 

In the latter end of July they arrived at Roanoke afore- 
said, where they again encountered the uncomfortable news 
of the loss of these men also ; who (as they were in- 
formed by Manteo) were secretly set upon by the Indians, 
some cut off, and the others fled, and not to be heard of, 
and their place of habitation now all grown up with weeds. 
However, they repaired the houses on Roanoke, and sat 
down there again. 

The 13th of August they christened Manteo, and styled 
him Lord of Dassamonpeak, an Indian nation so called, in 
reward of the fidelity he had shewn to the English from 
the beginning, who being the first Indian that was made 
a Christian in that part of the world, I thought it not amiss 
to remember him. 

On the same occasion also may be mentioned the first 
child there born of Christian parentage, viz: a daughter of 
Mr. Ananias Dare. She was born the 18th of the same 
August, upon Roanoke, and, after the name of the country, 
was christened Virginia. 

This seemed to be a settlement prosperously made, being 
carried on with much zeal and unanimity among them- 
selves. The form of government consisted of a governor 
and twelve counselors, incorporated by the name of gover- 
nor and assistants, of the city of Raleigh, in Virginia. 

Many nations of the Indians renewed their peace, and 
made firm leagues with the corporation. The chief men 
of the English also were so far from being disheartened at 
the former disappointments, that they disputed for the liberty 
of remaining on the spot; and by mere constraint compel- 
led Mr. White, their governor, to return for England to 
negotiate the business of their recruits and supply, as a 
man the most capable to manage that affair, leaving at his 
departure one hundred and fifteen in the corporation. 

§ 9. It was above two years before Mr. White could 
obtain any grant of supplies, and then in the latter end of 



FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 15 

the year 1589, he set out from Plymouth with three 
ships, and sailed round by the Western and Caribbee 
islands, they having hitherto not found any nearer way : 
for though they were skilled in navigation, and understood 
the use of the globes, yet did example so much prevail 
upon them, that they chose to sail a thousand leagues 
about, rather than attempt a more direct passage. 

Towards the middle of August, 1590, they arrived upon 
the coast, at Cape Hatteras, and went to search upon Roan- 
oke for the people ; but found, by letters on the trees, 
that they were removed to Croatan, one of the islands 
forming the sound, and southward of Roanoke about twenty 
leagues, but no sign of distress. Thither they designed to 
sail to them in their ships ; but a storm arising in the 
meanwhile, lay so hard upon them that their cables broke ; 
they lost three of their anchors, were forced to sea, and 
so returned home, without ever going near those poor peo- 
ple again for sixteen years following. And it is supposed 
that the Indians, seeing them forsaken by their country, and 
unfurnished of their expected supplies, cut them off, for 
to this day they were never more heard of. 

Thus, after all this vast expense and trouble, and the 
hazard and loss of so many lives, Sir Walter Raleigh, the 
great projector and furtherer of these discoveries and settle- 
ments, being under trouble, all thoughts of farther prosecu- 
ting these designs lay dead for about twelve years follow- 
ing. 

§ 10. And then, in the year 1602, Captain Gosnell, who 
had made one in the former adventures, furnished out a 
small bark from Dartmouth, and set sail in her himself with 
thirty odd men, designing a more direct course, and not 
to stand so far to the southward, uor pass by the Caribbee 
Islands, as all former adventurers had done. He attained 
his ends in that, but touched upon* the coast of Amer- 
ica, much to the northward of any of the places where 
the former adventurers had landed, for he fell first among 
the islands forming the northern side of Massachusetts bay 
in New England ; but not finding the conveniences that 



16 FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 

harbor affords, set sail again southward, and, as he 
thought, clear of land into the sea, but fell upon the Byte 
of Cape Cod. 

Upon this coast, and a little to the southward, he spent 
some time in trade with the Indians, and gave names to 
the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Elizabeth's Isle, 
which retain the same to this day. Upon Elizabeth's Isle 
he made an experiment of English grain, and found it 
spring up and grow to admiration as it had done at Roan- 
oke. Here also his men built huts to shelter them in the 
night and bad weather, and made good profit by their In- 
dian traffic of furs, skins, &c. And as their pleasure in- 
vited them, would visit the main, set receivers, and save 
the gums and juices distilling from sweet woods, and try 
and examine the lesser vegetables. 

After a month's stay here, they returned for England, as 
well pleased with the natural beauty and richness of the 
place they had viewed, as they were with the treasure they 
had gathered in it: neither had they a head, nor a finger 
that ached among them all the time. 

§ 11. The noise of this short and most profitable of all 
the former voyages, set the Bristol merchants to work also ; 
who, early in the year 1603, sent two vessels in search of 
the same place and trade — which vessels fell luckily in 
with the same land. They followed the same methods 
Captain Gosnell had done, and having got a rich lading 
they returned. 

§ 12. In the year 1605, a voyage was made from Lon- 
don in a single ship, with which they designed to fall in 
with the land about the latitude 39°, but the winds put her 
a little farther northward, and she fell upon the eastern 
parts of Long Island, (as it is now called, but all went 
then under the name of Virginia.) Here they trafficked 
with the Indians, as the others had done before them ; 
made short trials of the soil by English grain, and found 
the Indians, as in all other places, ve:y fair and courteous 
at first, till they got more knowledge of the English, and 
perhaps thought themselves overreached because one bought 
better pennyworths than another, upon which, afterwards, 



FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE. 17 

they never failed to take revenge as they found their oppor- 
tunity or advantage. So this company also returned with 
the ship, having ranged forty miles up Connecticut river, 
and called the harbor where they rid Penticost harbor, be- 
cause of their arrival there on Whitsunday. 

In all these latter voyages, they never so much as en- 
deavored to come near the place where the first settlement 
was attempted at Cape Hatteras ; neither had they any pity 
on those poor hundred and fifteen souls settled there in 
1587, of whom theie had never since been any account, 
no relief sent to them, nor so much as any enquiry 
made after them, whether they were dead or alive, till 
about three years after this, when Chesapeake bay in Vir- 
ginia was settled, which hitherto had never been seen by 
any Englishman. So strong was the desire of riches, and 
so eager the pursuit of a rich trade, that all concern for the 
'lives of their fellow-christians, kindred, neighbors and 
countrymen, weighed nothing in the comparison, though an 
enquiry might have been easily made when they were so 
near them. 



CHAPTER II. 



CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 
CHESAPEAKE BAY, IN VIRGINIA, BY THE CORPORATION 
OF LONDON ADVENTURERS, AND THEIR PROCEEDINGS 
DURING THEIR GOVERNMENT BY A PRESIDENT AND 
COUNCIL ELECTIVE. 

§ 13. The merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter, and 
Plymouth soon perceived what great gains might be made 
of a trade this way, if it were well managed and colonies 
could be rightly settled, which was sufficiently evinced by 
the great profits some ships had made, which had not met 
with ill accidents. Encouraged by this prospect, they joined 
together in a petition to King James the First, shewing 
forth that it would be too much for any single person 
to attempt the settling of colonies, and to carry on so 
considerable a trade; they therefore prayed his majesty to 
incorporate them, and enable them to raise a joint stock for 
that purpose, and to countenance their undertaking. 

His majesty did accordingly grant their petition, and by 
letters patents, bearing date the 10th of April, 1606, did 
in one patent incorporate them into two distinct colonies, 
to make two separate companies, viz : " Sir Thomas Gates, 
Sir George Summers, knights ; Mr. Richard Hackluit, clerk, 
prebend of Westminster, and Edward Maria Wingfield, esq., 
adventurers of the city of London, ?.nd such others as 
should be joined unto them of that colony, which should 
be called the first colony, with liberty to begin their first 
plantation and seat, at any place upon the coast of Vir- 



CAI'T. JOHN SMITH. 19 

ginia where they should think fit and convenient, between 
the degrees of thirty-four and forty-one of northern latitude. 
And that they should extend their bounds from the said 
first seat of their plantation and habitation fifty English 
miles along the seacoast each way, and include all the 
lands within an hundred miles directly over against the 
same seacoast, and also back into the main land one hun- 
dred miles from the seacoast ; and that no other should 
be permitted or suffered to plant or inhabit behind or on 
the back of them towards the main land, without the 
express license of the council of that colony, thereunto in 
writing first had and obtained. And for the second colony, 
Thomas Hanham, Rawleigh Gilbert, William Parker, and 
George Popham, esquires, of the town of Plymouth, and 
all others who should be joined to them of that colony, 
with liberty to begin their first plantation and seat at any 
place upon the coast of Virginia where they should think 
fit, between the degrees of thirty-eight and forty five of 
northern latitude, with the like liberties and bounds as the 
first colony ; provided they did not seat within an hundred 
miles of them." 

§ 14. By virtue of this patent, Capt. John Smith was 
sent by the London company, in December, 1606, on his 
voyage with three small ships, and a commission was given 
to him, and to several other gentlemen, to establish a colo- 
ny, and to govern by a president, to be chosen annually, 
and council, who should be invested with sufficient authori- 
ties and powers. And now all things seemed to promise 
a plantation in good earnest. Providence seemed likewise 
very favorable to them, for though they designed only for 
that part of Yiiginia where the hundred and fifteen were 
left, and where there is no security of harbor, yet, after 
a tedious voyage of passing the old way again, between 
the Caribbee islands and the main, he, with two of his 
vessels, luckily fell in with Virginia itself, that part of the 
continent now so called, anchoring in the mouth of the 
bay of Chesapeake ; and the first place they landed upon 
was the southern cape of that bay ; this they named Cape 



20 SETTLEMENT OF JAMESTOWN. 

Henry, and the northern Cape Charles, in honor of the 
king's two eldest sons ; and the first great liver they 
searched, whose Indian name was Powhatan, they called 
James river, after the king's own name. 

§ 15. Before they would make any settlement here, they 
made a full search of James river, and then by an unani- 
mous consent pitched upon a peninsula about fifty miles 
up the river, which, besides the goodness of the soil, was 
esteemed as most fit, and capable to be made a place both 
of trade and security, two-thirds thereof being environed by 
the main river, which affords good anchorage all along, 
and the other third by a small narrow river, capable of 
receiving many vessels of an hundred ton, quite up as high 
as till it meets within thirty yards of the main river again, 
and where generally in spring tides it overflows into the 
main river, by which means the land they chose to pitcli 
their town upon has obtained the name of an island. In 
this back river ships and small vessels may ride lashed to 
one another, and moored ashore secure from all wind and 
weather whatsoever. 

The town, as well as the river, had the honor to be 
called by King James' name. The whole island thus en- 
closed contains about two thousand acres of high land, and 
seveial thousands of very good and firm marsh, and is an 
extraordinary good pasture as any in that country. 

By means of the narrow passage, this place was of great 
security to them from the Indian enemy; and if they had 
then known of the biting of the worm in the salts, they 
would have valued this place upon that account also, as 
being free from that mischief. 

§ 16. They were no sooner settled in all this happiness 
and security, but they fell into jars and dissensions among 
themselves, by a greedy grasping at the Indian treasure, 
envying and overreaching one another in that trade. 

After five weeks stay before this town, the ships returned 
home again, leaving one hundred and eight men settled 
in the form of government before spoken of. 

After the ships were gone, the same sort of feuds and 



SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF GOLD. 21 

disorders happened continually among them, to the unspeak- 
able damage of the plantation. 

The Indians were the same there as in all other places, 
at first very fair and friendly, though afterwards they gave 
great proofs of their deceitfulness. However, by the help 
of the Indian provisions, the English chieily subsisted till 
the return of the ships the next year, when two vessels 
were sent thither full freighted with men and provisions 
for supply of the plantation, one of which only arrived 
directly, and the other being beat off to the Caribbee islands, 
did not arrive till the former was sailed again for England. 

§ 17. In the interval of these ships returning from Eng- 
land, the English had a very advantageous trade with the 
Indians, and might have made much greater gains of it, 
and managed it both to the greater satisfaction' of the In- 
dians, and the greater ease and security of themselves, if 
they had been under any rule, or subject to any method in 
trade, and not left at liberty to outvie or outbid one another, 
by which they not only cut short their own profit, but created 
jealousies and disturbances among the Indians, by letting one 
have a better bargain than another ; for they being unac- 
customed to barter, such of them as had been hardest dealt 
by in their commodities, thought themselves cheated and 
abused ; and so conceived a grudge against the English in 
general, making it a national quarrel ; and this seems to be 
the original cause of most of their subsequent misfortunes 
by the Indians. 

What also gave a greater interruption to this trade, was an 
object that drew all their eyes and thoughts aside, even 
fiom taking the necessary care for their preservation, and for 
the support of their lives, which was this : They found in 
a neck of laud, on the back of Jamestown island, a fresh 
stream of water springing out of a small bank, which washed 
down with it a yellow sort of dust isinglass, which being 
cleansed by the fresh streaming of the water, lay shining 
in the bottom of that, limpid element, and stirred up in them 
an unseasonable and inordinate desire after riches ; for they 
taking all to be gold that glittered, run into the utmost dis- 



22 EFFECT OF THE GOLD MANIA. 

traction, neglecting both the necessary defence of their lives 
from the Indians, and the support of their bodies by securing 
of provisions ; absolutely relying, like Midas, upon the al- 
mighty power of gold, thinking that where this was in 
plenty, nothing could be wanting ; but they soon grew sen- 
sible of their error, and found that if this gilded dirt had been 
real gold, it could have been of no advantage to them. For, 
by their negligence, they were reduced to an exceeding scar- 
city of provisions, and that little they had was lost by the 
burning of their town, while all hands were employed upon 
this imaginary golden treasure ; so that they were forced to 
live for some time upon the wild fruits of the earth, and 
upon crabs, muscles, and such like, not having a day's pro- 
vision before-hand ; as some of the laziest Indians, who have 
no pleasure in exercise, and wont be at the pains to fish 
and hunt: And, indeed, not so well as they neither; for 
by this careless neglecting of their defence against the In- 
dians, many of them were destroyed by that cruel people, 
and the rest durst not venture abroad, but were forced to 
be content with what fell just into their mouths. 

§ 18. In this condition they were, when the first ship of 
the two before mentioned came to their assistance, but their 
golden dreams overcame all difficulties ; they spoke not, nor 
thought of anything but gold, and that was all the lading 
that most of them were willing to take care for ; accordingly 
they put into this ship all the yellow dirt they had gathered, 
and what skins and furs they had trucked for, and filling 
her up with cedar, sent her away. 

After she was gone, the other ship arrived, which they 
stowed likewise with this supposed gold dust, designing never 
to be poor again ; filling her up with cedar and clap-board. 

Those two ships being thus dispatched, they made seve- 
ral discoveries in James river and up Chesapeake bay, by the 
undertaking and management of Captain John Smith ; and 
the year 1608 was the first year in which they gathered In- 
dian corn of their own planting. 

While these discoveries were making by Captain Smith, 
matters run again into confusion in Jamestown, and several 



FIRST CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE. 23 

uneasy people, taking advantage of his absence, attempted to 
desert the settlement, and run away with the small vessel that 
was left to attend upon it; for Captain Smith was the only 
man among them that could manage the discoveries with 
success, and he was the only man, too, that could keep the 
settlement in order. Thus the English continued to give 
themselves as much perplexity by their own distraction as 
the Indians did by their watchfulness and resentments. 

§ 19. Anno 1609, John Lay don and Anna Burrows were 
married together, the first Christian marriage in that part of 
the world. j and the year following the plantation was in- 
creased to near five hundred men. 

This year Jamestown sent out people, and made two other 
settlements ; one at Nansemond in James river, above thirty 
miles below Jamestown, and the other at Powhatan, six miles 
below the falls of James river, (which last was bought of Pow- 
hatan for a certain quantity of copper,) each settlement con- 
sisting of about a hundred and twenty men. Some small 
time after another was made at Kiquotan by the mouth of 
James river. 



CHAPTER III. 



SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE ALTERATION OP 
THE GOVERNMENT FROM AN ELECTIVE PRESIDENT TO A 
COMMISSIONATED GOVERNOR, UNTIL THE DISSOLUTION OF 
THE COMPANY. 

§ 20. In the meanwhile the treasurer, council and com- 
pany of Virginia adventurers in London, not finding that 
return and profit from the adventurers they expected, and 
rightly judging that this disappointment, as well as the idle 
quarrels in the colony, proceeded from a mismanage of go- 
vernment, petitioned his majesty, and got a new patent 
with leave to appoint a governor. 

Upon this new grant they sent out nine ships, and plentiful 
supplies of men and provisions, and made three joint com- 
missioners or governors in equal power, viz : Sir Thomas 
Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain Newport. They 
agreed to go all together in one ship. 

This ship, on board of which the three governors had em- 
barked, being separated from the rest, was put to great dis- 
tress in a" severe storm ; and after three days and nights con- 
stant bailing and pumping, was at last cast ashore at Bermu- 
das, and there staved, but by good providence the company 
was preserved. 

Notwithstanding this shipwreck, and extremity they were 
put to, yet could not this common misfortune make them 
agree. The best of it was, they found plenty of provi- 
sions in that island, and no Indians to annoy them. But 
still they quarrelled amongst themselves, and none more 
than the two Knights ; who made their parties, built each 
of them a cedar vessel, one called the Patience, the 
other the Deliverance, and used what they gathered of 



RETURN OF CAPT. SMITH. 25 

the furniture of the old ship for rigging ; and fish-oil, and 
hog's-grease, mixed with lime and ashes, instead of pitch 
and tar : for they found great plenty of Spanish hogs in 
this island, which are supposed to have swam ashore 
from some wrecks, and there afterwards increased. 

§. 21. While these things were acting in Bermuda, 
Capt. Smith being very much burnt by the accidental fi- 
ring of some gun-powder, as he was upon a discovery in 
his boat, was forced for his cure sake, and the benefit of 
a surgeon, to take his passage for England, in a ship 
that was then upon the point of sailing. 

Several of the nine ships that came out with the three 
governors arrived, with many of the passengers ; some of 
which, in their humors, would not submit to the govern 
ment there, pretending the new commission destroyed the 
old one ; that governors were appointed instead of a presi- 
dent, and that they themselves were to be of the council, 
and so would assume an independent power, inspiring the 
people with disobedience ; by which means they became 
frequently exposed in great parties to the cruelly of the In- 
dians ; all sorts of discipline was laid aside, and their ne- 
cessary defence neglected ; so that the Indians taking ad- 
vantage of those divisions, formed a stratagem to destroy them 
root and branch ; and, indeed, they did cut many of them 
off, by massacreing whole companies at a time ; so that all 
the out-settlements were deserted, and the people that were 
not destroyed, took refuge in Jamestown, except the small 
settlement at Kiquotan, where they had built themselves a 
little fort, and called it Algernoon fort. And yet, for all 
this, they continued their disorders, wasting their old provi- 
sions, and neglecting to gather others ; so that they who re- 
mained alive, were all near famished, having brought them- 
selves to that pass, that they durst not stir from their own 
doors to gather the fruits of the earth, or the crabs and mus- 
cles from the water-side : much less to hunt or catch wild 
beasts, fish or fowl, which were found in great abundance 
there. They continued in these scanty circumstances, till 
they were at last reduced to such extremity, as to eat the 
4 



26 SUFFERING OF COLONISTS. 

very hides of their horses, and the bodies of the Indians 
they had killed ; and sometimes also upon a pinch they 
would not disdain to dig them up again, to make a homely 
meal, after they had been buried. 

Thus, a few months indiscreet management brought such 
an infamy upon the country, that to this day it cannot be 
wiped away. And the sicknesses occasioned by this bad 
diet, or rather want of diet, are unjustly remembered to 
the disadvantage of the country, as a fault in the climate ; 
which was only the foolishness and indiscretion of those 
who assumed the power of governing. I call it assumed, 
because the new commission mentioned, . by which they 
pretended to be of the council, was not in all this time 
arrived, but remained in Bermuda with the new govern- 
ors. 

Here, I cannot but admire the care, labor, courage and 
understanding, that Capt. John Smith showed in the 
time of his administiation ; who not only founded, but 
also preserved all these settlements in good order, while 
he was amongst them ; and, without him, they had cer- 
tainly all been destroyed, either by famine, or the enemy 
long before ; though the country naturally afforded sub- 
sistence enough, even without any other labor than that 
of gathering and preserving its spontaneous provisions. 

For the first three years that Capt. Smith was with 
them, they never had in that whole time, above six 
months English provisions. But as soon as he had left 
them to themselves, all went to ruin ; for the Indians had 
no longer any fear for themselves, or friendship for the 
English. And six months after this gentleman's departure, 
the 500 men that he had left were reduced to threescore j 
and they, too, must of necessity, have starved, if their 
relief had been delayed a week longer at sea. 

§. 22. In the mean time, the three governors put to 
sea from Burmuda, in their two small vessels, with their 
company, to the number of one hundred and fifty, and 
in fourteen days, viz. : the 25th of May, 1610, they ar- 
rived both together in Virginia, and went with their ves- 



ARRIVAL OP RELIEF. 



27 



sels up to Jamestown, where they found the small le- 
mainder of the five hundred men, in that melancholy way 
I just now hinted. 

§. 23. Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Cap- 
tain Newport, the governors, were very compassionate of 
their condition, and called a council, wherein they inform- 
ed them, that they had but sixteen days provision aboard ; 
and therefore desired to know their opinion, whether they 
would venture to sea under such a scarcity ; or, if they 
resolved to continue in the settlement, and take their for- 
tunes, they would stay likewise, and share the provisions 
among them ; but desired that their determination might 
be speedy. They soon came to the conclusion of return- 
ing for England ; but because their provisions were short, 
they resolved to go by the banks of Newfoundland, in 
hopes of meeting with some of the fishermen, (this being 
now the season,) and dividing themselves among then- 
ships, for the greater certainty of provision, and for their 
better accommodation. 

According to this resolution, they all went aboard, and 
fell down to Hog Island, the 9th of June, at night, and 
the next morning to Mulberry Island Point, which is 
eighteen miles below Jamestown, and thirty above the 
mouth of the river ; and there they spied a long boat, 
which the Lord Delawarr (who was just arrived with three 
ships,) had sent before him up the river sounding the chan- 
nel. His lordship was made sole governor, and was accom- 
panied by several gentlemen of condition. He caused all 
the men to return again to Jamestown ; re-settled them 
with satisfaction, and staid with them till March follow- 
ing ; and then being very sick, he returned for England, 
leaving about two hundred in the colony. 

§. 24. On the 10th of May, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale being 
then made governor, arrived with three ships, which brought 
supplies of men, cattle and hogs. He found them growing 
again into the like disorders as before, taking no care to 
plant corn, and wholly relying upon their store, which then 
had but three months provision in it. He therefore set 



28 POCAHONTAS TAKEN PRISONER. 

them to work about corn, and though it was the middle 
of May before they began to prepare the ground, yet they 
had an indifferent good crop. 

§. 25. In August, the same year, Sir Thomas Gates ar- 
rived at Jamestown with six ships more, and with a plenti- 
ful supply of hogs, cattle, fowls, &c, with a good quan- 
tity of ammunition, and all other things necessary for a new 
colony, and besides this, a reinforcement of three hundred 
and fifty chosen men. In the beginning of September 
he settled a new town at Arrabattuck, about fifty miles 
above Jamestown, paling in the neck above two miles from 
the point, from one reach of the river to the other. Here 
he built forts and sentry-boxes, and in honor of Henry 
Prince of Wales, called it Heniico. And also run a pali- 
sado on the other side of the river, at Coxendale, to se- 
cure their hogs. 

§.26. Anno 1612, two ships more arrived with supplies; 
and Capt. Argall, who commanded one of them, being 
sent in her to Patowmeck to buy corn, he there met with 
Pocahontas, the excellent daughter of Powhatan ; and hav- 
ing prevailed with her to come aboard to a treat, he de- 
tained her prisoner, and carried her to Jamestown, design- 
ing to make peace with her father by her release ; but 
on the contrary, that prince resented the affront very high- 
ly ; and although he loved his daughter with all imagi- 
nable tenderness, yet he would not be brought to terms 
by that unhandsome treachery ; till about two years after 
a marriage being proposed between Mr. John Rolfe, an 
English gentleman, and this lady ; which Powhatan taking 
to be a sincere token of friendship, he vouchsafed to con- 
sent to it, and to conclude a peace, though he would not 
come to the wedding. 

§. 27. Pocahontas being thus married in the year 1613, 
a firm peace was concluded with her father. Both the 
English and Indians thought themselves entirely secure and 
quiet. This brought in the Chickahominy Indians also, 
though not out of any kindness or respect to the English, 
but out of fear of being, by their assistance, brought un- 



FOCAHONTAS IN ENGLAND. 29 

der Powhatan's absolute subjection, who used now and 
then to threaten and tyrannize over them. 

§. 28. Sir Thomas Dale returning for England, Anno 
1616, took with him Mr. Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas, 
who, upon the marriage, was christened, and called Re- 
becca. He left Capt. George Yardly deputy -governor dur- 
ing his absence, the country being then entirely at peace ; 
and arrived at Plymouth the 12th of June. 

Capt. John Smith was at that time in England, and 
hearing of the arrival of Pocahontas at Portsmouth, used 
all the means he could to express his gratitude to her, as 
having formerly preserved his life by the hazard of her 
own ; for, when by the command of her father, Capt. 
Smith's head was upon the block to have his brains 
knocked out, she saved his head by laying hers close 
upon it. He was at that time suddenly to embark for 
New England, and fearing he should sail before she got 
to London, he made an humble petition to the Queen 
in her behalf, which I here choose to give you in his 
own woids, because it will save me the story at large. 

§. 29. Capt. Smith's petition to her Majesty, in behalf of 
Pocahontas, daughter to the Indian Emperor, Powhatan. 

To the most high and virtuous princess, Q.ueen Anne, of 
Great Britain : 

Most admired madam — 

The love I bear my God, my king, and country, hath 
so often emboldened me in the worst of extreme dangers, 
that now honestly doth constrain me to presume thus far 
beyond myself, to present your majesty this short discourse. 
If ingratitude be a deadly poison to all honest virtues, I 
must be guilty of that crime, if I should omit any means 
to be thankful. 
So it was, 

That about ten years ago, being in Virginia, and taken 



30 PETITION OF CAPT. SMITH. 

prisoner by the power of Powhatan, their chief king, I 
received from this great savage exceeding great courtesy, 
especially from his son, Nantaquaus ; the manliest, comeli- 
est, boldest spirit I ever saw in a savage ; and his sister 
Pocahontas, the king's most dear and well-beloved daugh- 
ter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen years of age, 
whose compassionate pitiful heart of my desperate estate 
gave me much cause to respect her. I being the first 
Christian this proud king and his grim attendants ever 
saw, and thus enthralled in their barbarous power ; I can- 
not say I felt the least occasion of want, that was in the 
power of those my mortal foes to prevent, notwithstanding 
all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those 
savage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, she haz- 
arded the beating out of her own brains to save mine, and 
not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I was 
safely conducted to Jamestown, where I found about eight 
and thirty miserable, poor and sick creatures, to keep pos- 
session for all those large territories of Virginia. Such was 
the weakness of this poor commonwealth, as had not the 
savages fed us, we directly had starved. 

And this relief, most gracious queen, was commonly 
brought us by this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all 
these passages, when unconstant fortune turned our peace 
to war, this tender virgin would still not spare to dare to 
visit us ; and by her our jars have been oft appeased, and 
our wants still supplied. Were it the policy of her fa- 
ther thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God thus 
to make her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection 
to our nation, I know not : but of this I am sure, when 
her father, with the utmost of his policy and power, sought 
to surprise me, having but eighteen with me, the dark night 
could not affright her from coming through the irksome 
woods, and, with watered eyes, give me intelligence^ with 
her best advice to escape his fury , which had he known, 
he had surely slain her. 

Jamestown, with her wild train, she as freely frequented 
as her father's habitation ; and during the time of two or 



PETITION OF CAPT. SMITH. 



31 



three years, she, next under God, was still the instrument 
to preserve this colony from death, famine, and utter confu- 
sion, which if, in those times, had once been dissolved, 
Virginia might have lain, as it was at our first arrival, till 
this day. Since then, this business having been turned 
and varied by rnany accidents from what I left it, it is 
most certain, after a long and troublesome war, since my 
departure, betwixt her father and our colony, all which time 
she was not heard of, about two years after she herself 
was taken prisoner, being so detained near two years longer, 
the colony by that means was relieved, peace concluded, 
and at last, rejecting her barbarous condition, she was mar- 
ried to an English gentleman, with whom at this present 
she is in England. The first Christian ever of that na- 
tion ; the first Virginian ever spake English, or had a 
child in marriage by an Englishman — a matter surely, if 
my meaning be truly considered and well understood, wor- 
thy a prince's information. 

Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to your ma- 
jesty, what at your best leisure, our approved histories will 
recount to you at large, as done in the time of your 
majesty's life ; and however this might be presented you 
from a more worthy pen, it cannot from a more honest 
heart. 

As yet, I never begged anything of the State ; and it 
is my want of ability, and her exceeding desert ; your 
birth, means, and authority ; her birth, virtue, want and 
simplicity, doth make me thus bold, humbly to beseech 
your majesty to take this knowledge of her, though it be 
fiom one so unworthy to be the reporter as myself; her 
husband's estate not being able to make her fit to attend 
your majesty. 

The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, and 
the rather because of her being of so great a spirit, how- 
ever her stature. If she should not be well received, see- 
ing this kingdom may rightly have a kingdom by her 
means ; her present love to us and Christianity, might turn 
to such scorn and fury, as to divert all this good to the 



32 MEETING OF SMITH AND POCAHONTAS, 

worst of evil. Where finding that so great a queen should 
do her more honor than she can imagine, for having been 
kind to her subjects and servants, 'twould so ravish her 
with content, as to endear her dearest blood, to effect that 
your majesty and all the king's honest subjects most ear- 
nestly desire. And so I humbly kiss your gracious hands, 
&c. 

(Signed) 

JOHN SMITH. 
Dated June, 1616. 

§. 30. This account was presented to her majesty, and 
graciously received. But before Capt. Smith sailed for 
New England, the Indian princess arrived at London, and 
her husband took lodgings for her at Branford, to be a 
little out of the smoke of the city, whither Capt. Smith, 
with some of his friends, went to see her and congratu- 
late her arrival, letting her know the address he had made 
to the queen in her favor. 

Till this lady arrived in England, she had all along 
been informed that Captain Smith was dead, because he 
had been diverted from that colony by making settlements 
in the second plantation, now called New England ; for 
which reason, when she saw him, she seemed to think her- 
self much affronted, for that they had dared to impose so 
gross an untruth upon her, and at first sight of him turn- 
ed away. It cost him a great deal of intreaty, and some 
hours attendance, before she would do him the honor to 
speak to him ; but at last she was reconciled, and talked 
freely to him. She put him in mind of her former kind- 
nesses, and then upbraided him for his forgetfulness of her, 
showing by her reproaches, that even a state of nature 
teaches to abhor ingratitude. 

She had in her retinue a Werowance, or great man of 
her own nation, whose name was Uttamaccomack. This 
man had orders from Powhatan, to count the people in 
England, and give him an account of their number. Now 



DEATH OF POCAHONTAS. 33 

the Indians having no letters among them, he at his going 
ashore, provided a stick, in which he was to make a notch 
for every man he saw ; but this accomptant soon grew wea- 
ry of that tedious exercise, and threw his stick away : and 
at his return, being asked by his king, How many peo- 
ple there were? He desired him to count the stars in the 
sky, the leaves upon the trees, and the sand on the sea- 
shore, for so many people (he said) were in England. 

§. 31. Pocahontas had many honors done her by the 
queen upon account of Captain Smith's story ; and being 
introduced by the Lady Delawarr, she was frequently admit- 
ted to wait on her majesty, and was publicly treated as 
a prince's daughter ; she was carried to many plays, balls, 
and other public entertainments, and very respectfully re- 
ceived by all the ladies about the court. Upon all which 
occasions, she behaved herself with so much decency, and 
showed so much grandeur in her deportment, that she 
made good the brightest part of the character Capt. Smith 
had given of her. In the meanwhile, she gained the 
good opinion of everybody so much, that the poor gentle- 
man, her husband, had like to have been called to an 
account, for presuming to marry a princess royal without 
the king's consent ; because it had been suggested that 
he had taken advantage of her, being a prisoner, and 
forced her to marry him. But upon a moie perfect re- 
presentation of the matter, his majesty was pleased at last 
to declare himself satisfied. But had the'r true condition 
here been known, that pother had been saved. 

Everybody paid this young lady all imaginable respect ; 
and it is supposed, she would have sufficiently acknow- 
ledged those favors, had she lived to return to her own 
country, by bringing the Indians to have a kinder dispo- 
sition towards the English. But upon her return she was 
unfortunately taken ill at Gravesend, and died in a few 
days after, giving great testimony alj the time she lay 
sick, of her being a very good Christian. She left issue 
one son, named Thomas Rolfe, whose posterity is at this 

5 



34 DEATH OP POWHATAN. 

day in good repute in Virginia, and now hold lands by 
descent from her. 

§. 32. Captain Yardly made but a very ill governor, he 
let the buildings and forts go to ruin ; not regarding the 
security of the people against the Indians, neglecting the 
corn, and applying all hands to plant tobacco, which pro- 
mised the most immediate gain. In this condition they 
were when Capt. Samuel Argall was sent thither gover- 
nor, Anno 1617, who found the number of people re- 
duced to little more than four hundred, of which not 
above half were fit for labor. In the meanwhile the In- 
dians mixing among them, got experience daily in fire 
arms, and some of them were instructed therein by the 
English themselves, and employed to hunt and kill wild 
fowl for them. So great was their security upon this 
marriage ; but governor Argall not liking those methods, 
regulated them on his arrival, and Capt. Yardly returned 
to England. 

§. 33. Governor Argall made the colony flourish and in- 
crease wonderfully, and kept them in great plenty and 
quiet. The next year, viz. : Anno 161S, the Lord Dela- 
warr was sent over again with two hundred men more 
for the settlement, with other necessaries suitable : but 
sailing by the Western Islands, they met with contrary 
winds, and great sickness; so that about thirty of them 
died, among which the Lord Delawarr was one. By 
which means the government there still continued in the 
hands of Capt. Argall. 

§. 34. Powhatan died in April the same year, leaving 
his second brother Itopatin in possession of his empire, a 
prince far short of the parts of Oppechancanough, who 
by some was said to be his elder brother, and then king 
of Chickahomony ; but he having debauched them from 
the allegiance of Powhatan, was disinherited by him. 
This Oppechancanough was a cunning and a brave prince, 
and soon grasped all the empire to himself. But at first 
they jointly renewed the peace with the English, upon 
the accession of Itopatin to the crown. 



gov. argall's exploits. 35 

§. 35. Governor Argall flourishing thus under the bles- 
sings of peace and plenty, and having no occasion of 
fear or disturbance from the Indians, sought new occasions 
of encouraging the plantation. To that end, he intended 
a coasting voyage to the northward, to view the places 
where the English ships had so often laded ; and if he 
missed them, to reach the fisheries on the banks of New- 
foundland, and so settle a trade and correspondence either 
with the one or the other. In accomplishing whereof, as 
he touched at Cape Cod, he was informed by the Indians, 
that some white people like him were come to inhabit to 
the northward of them, upon the coast of their neighbor- 
ing nations. Capt. Argall not having heard of any Eng- 
lish plantation that way, was jealous that it might be (as 
it proved,) the people of some other nation. And being 
very zealous for the honor and benefit of England, he re- 
solved to make search according to the information he had 
received, and see who they were. Accordingly he found 
the settlement, and a ship riding before it. This belonged 
to some Frenchmen, who had fortified themselves upon a 
small mount on the north of New England. 

§. 36. His unexpected arrival so confounded the French, 
that they could make no preparation for resistance on 
board their ship ; which Captain Argall drew so close to, 
that with his small arms he beat all the men from the 
deck, so that ihey could not use their guns, their ship 
having only a single deck. Among others, there were 
two Jesuits on board, one of which being more bold than 
wise, with all that disadvantage, endeavored to fire one of 
their cannon, and w T as shot dead for his pains. 

Captain Argall having taken the ship, landed and went 
before the fort, summoning it to surrender. The gar- 
rison asked time to advise ; but that being denied them, 
they stole privately away, and tied into the woods. Upon 
this, Captain Argall entered the fort, and lodged there that 
night ; and the ne^t day the French came to him, and sur- 
rendered themselves. It seems the king of France had 



36 GOV. argall's exploits. 

granted them a patent for this settlement, but they gave 
it up to Captain Argall to be cancelled. He used them 
very well, and suffered such as had a mind to return to 
France, to seek their passage among the ships of the fish- 
ery ; but obliged them to desert this settlement. And those 
that were willing to go to Virginia, he took with him. 

§. 37. These people were under the conduct of two Je- 
suits, who upon taking a pique against their governor in 
Acadia, named Biencourt, had lately separated from a 
French setttlement at Port Royal, lying in the bay, upon 
the south-west part of Acadia. 

§. 38. As Governor Argall was about to return to Virgi- 
nia, father Biard, the surviving Jesuit (out of malice to 
Biencourt,) told him of this French settlement at Port 
Royal, and offered to pilot him to it ; which Governor Ar- 
gall readily accepted of. With the same ease, he took 
that settlement also ; where the French had sowed and 
reaped, built barns, mills, and other conveniences, which 
Captain Argall did no damage to; but unsettled them, and 
obliged them to make a desertion from thence. He gave 
these the same leave he had done the others, to dispose of 
themselves ; some whereof returned to France, and others 
went to settle up the river of Canada. After this Gover- 
nor Aigall returned satisfied with the provision and plunder 
he had got in those two settlements. 

§. 39. The report of these exploits soon reached England; 
and whether they were approved or no, being acted with- 
out particular direction, I have not learned ; but certain it 
is/ that in April following there arrived a small vessel, 
which did not stay for anything, but took on board Go- 
vernor Argall, and returned for England. He left Capt. 
Naihaniel Powel deputy ; and soon after Capt. Yardly be- 
ing knighted, was sent governor thither again. 

§.40. Very great supplies of cattle and other provisions 
were sent there that year, and likewise 1000 or 1200 men. 
They resettled all their old plantations that had been de- 
serted, made additions to the number of the council, and 



FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 37 

called an assembly of Burgesses from all parts of the 
country, which were to be elected by the people in their 
several plantations. 

These burgesses met the governor and council at James- 
town in May, 1620, and sat jn consultation in the same 
house with them, as the method of the Scots Parliament 
is, debating matters for the improvement and good govern- 
ment of the country. 

This was the first general assembly that was ever held 
there. I heartily wish though they did not unite their 
houses again, they would, however, unite their endeavors 
and affections for the good of the country. 

§. 41. In August following, a Dutch man-of-war landed 
twenty negroes for sale ; which were the first of that kind 
that were carried into the country. 

§. 42. This year they bounded the corporations, (as they 
called them :) But there does not remain among the re- 
cords any one grant of these corporations. There is en- 
tered a testimony of Governor Argall, concerning the bounds 
of the corporation of James City, declaring his knowledge 
thereof; and this is one of the new transcribed books of 
record. But there is not to be found one word of the 
charter or patent itself of this corporation. 

Then also, they apportioned and laid our lands in se- 
veral allotments, viz. : to the company in several places, 
to the governor, to a college, to glebes, and to several 
particular persons ; many new settlements were made in 
James and York rivers. The people knew their own 
property, and having the encouragement of working for 
their own advantage, many became very industrious, and 
began to vie one with another, in planting, building, and 
other improvements. Two gentlemen went over as depu- 
ties to the company, for the management of their lands, 
and those of the college. All thoughts of danger from 
the Indians were laid aside. Several great gifts were made 
to the church and college, and for the bringing up young 
Indians at school. Forms were madp. and rules appoint 



38 SALT — IRON ORE — TOBACCO. 

ed for granting patents for land, upon the condition of 
importing goods and persons to supply and increase the 
colony. And all there then began think themselves the 
happiest people in the world. 

§. 43. Thus Virginia continued to flourish and increase, 
great supplies continually arriving, and new settlements 
being made all over the country. A salt work was set 
up at Cape Charles, on the Eastern Shore ; and an iron 
work at Falling Creek, in James river, where they made 
proof of good iron ore, and brought the whole work so 
near a perfection, that they writ word to the company in 
London, that they did not doubt but to finish the work, 
and have plentiful provision of iron for them by the next 
Easter. At that time the fame of the plenty and riches, 
in which the English lived there, was very great. And 
Sir George Yardly now had all the appearance of making 
amends for the errors of his former government. Never- 
theless he let them run into the same sleepiness and se- 
curity as before, neglecting all thoughts of a necessary 
defence, which laid the foundatian of the following ca- 
lamities. 

§. 44. But the time of his government being near ex- 
pired, Sir Francis Wyat, then a young man, had a com- 
mission to succeed him. The people began to grow nu- 
merous, thirteen hundred settling there that year ; which 
was the occasion of making so much tobacco, as to over- 
stock the market. Wherefore his majesty, out of pity to 
the country, sent his commands, that they should not suf- 
fer their planters to make above one hundred pounds of 
tobacco per man ; for the market was so low, that he 
could not afford to give them above three shillings the 
pound for it. He advised them rather to turn their spare 
time towards providing corn and stock, and towards the 
making of potash, or other manufactures. 

It was October, 1621, that Sir Francis Wyat arrived 
governor, and in November, Captain Newport arrived with 
fifty men, imported at his own charge, besides passengers ; 
and made a plantation on Newport's News, naming it 



FIRST COUNTY COURTS. 39 

after himself. The governor made a review of all the 
settlements, and suffered new ones to be made, even as 
far as Potomac river. This ought to be observed of the 
Eastern Shore Indians, that they never gave the English 
any trouble, but courted and befriended them from first 
to last. Perhaps the English, by the time they came to 
settle those parts, had considered how to rectify their form- 
ei mismanagement, and learned better methods of regula- 
ting their trade with the Indians, and of treating them 
more kindly than at first. 

§. 45. Anno 1622, inferior courts were first appointed by 
the general assembly, under the name of county courts, 
for trial of minute causes ; the governor and council still 
remaining judges of the supreme court of the colony. In 
the meantime, by the great increase of people, and the 
long quiet they had enjoyed among the Indians, since the 
marriage of Pocahontas, and the accession of Oppechan- 
canough to the imperial crown, all men were lulled into 
a fatal security, and became everywhere familiar with the 
Indians, eating, drinking, and sleeping amongst them ; by 
which means they became perfectly acquainted with all 
our English strength, and the use of our arms — knowing 
at all times, when and where to find our people ; wheth- 
er at home, or in the woods ; in bodies, or disperst ; in 
condition of defence, or indefensible. This exposing of 
their weakness gave them occasion to think more contempti- 
bly of them, than otherwise, perhaps, they would have 
done ; for which reason they became more peevish, and 
more hardy to attempt anything against them. 

§. 46. Thus upon the loss of one of their leading men, 
(a war captain, as they call him,) who was likewise sup- 
posed to be justly killed, Oppechancanough took affront, 
and in revenge laid the plot of a general massacre of the 
English, to be executed on the 22d of March, 1622, a 
little before noon, at a time when our. men were all at 
work abroad in their plantations, disperst and unarmed. 
This hellish contrivance was to take effect upon all the 



40 MASSACRE OF THE COLONISTS. 

several settlements at one and the same instant, except on 
the Eastern Shore, whilher this plot did not reach. The 
Indians had been made so familiar with the English, as 
to borrow their boats and canoes to cross the river in, 
when they went to consult with their neighboring Indians 
upon this execrable conspiracy. And to color their design the 
better, they brought presents of deer, turkies, fish and fruits 
to the English the evening before. The very morning of the 
massacre, they came freely and unarmed among them, 
eating with them, and behaving themselves with the same 
freedom and friendship as formerly, till the very minute 
they were to put their plot in execution. Then they fell 
to work all at once everywhere, knocking the English un- 
awares on the head, some with their hatchets, which they 
call tomahawks, others with the hoes and axes of the 
English themselves, shooting at those who escaped the reach 
of their hands ; sparing neither age nor sex, but destroy- 
ing man, woman, and child, according to their cruel way 
of leaving none behind to bear resentment. But whatev- 
er was not done by surprise that day, was left undone, and 
many that made early resistance escaped. 

By the account taken of the Christians murdered that 
morning, they were found to be three hundred and forty- 
seven, most of them falling by their own instruments, and 
working tools. 

§. 47. The massacre had been much more general, had 
not this plot been providentially discovered to the English 
some hours before the execution. It happened thus : 

Two Indians that used to be employed by the English to 
hunt for them, happened to lie together, the night before 
the massacre, in an Englishmen's house, where one of 
them was employed. The Indian that was the guest fell 
to persuading the other to rise and kill his master, telling 
him, that he would do the same by his own the next day. 
Whereupon he discovered the whole plot that was design- 
ed to be executed on the morrow. But the other, instead 
of entering into the plot, and murdering his master, got 



CAUSE OF THE .MASSACRE. '1 I 

up (under pretence of going to execute his comrade's ad- 
vice,) went into his master's chamber, and revealed to him 
the whole story that he had been told. The master here- 
upon arose, secured his own house, and before day got to 
Jamestown, which, together with such plantations as could 
receive notice time enough, were saved by this means ; 
the rest, as they happened to be watchful in their de- 
fence, also escaped ; but such as were surprised, were mas- 
sacred. Captain Croshaw in his vessel at Potomac, had 
notice also given him by a young Indian, by which means 
lie came off untouched. 

§. 48. The occasion upon which Oppechancanough took 
affront was this. The war captain mentioned before to have 
been killed, was called Nemattanow. He was an active 
Indian, a great warrior, and in much esteem among them ; 
so much, that they believed him to be invulnerable, and 
immortal, because he had been in very many conflicts, 
and escaped untouched from them all. He was also a 
very cunning fellow, and took great pride in preserving 
and increasing this their superstition concerning him, af- 
fecting everything that was odd and prodigious, to work 
upon their admiration. For which purpose he would 
often dress himself up with feathers after a fantastic man- 
ner, and by much use of that ornament, obtained among 
the English the nickname of Jack of the feather. 

This Nemattanow coming to a private settlement of one 
Morgan, who had several toys which he had a mind to, 
persuaded him to go to Pamunky to dispose of them. He 
gave him hopes what mighty bargains he might meet with 
there, and kindly offered him his assistance. At last Mor- 
gan yielded to his persuasion ; but was no more heard of ; 
and it is believed, that Nemattanow killed him by the 
way, and took away his treasure. For within a few days 
this Nemattanow returned to the same house with Mor- 
gan's cap upon his head ; where he found two sturdy 
boys, who asked for their master. He very frankly told 
them he was dead. But they, knowing the cap again, sus- 

6 



42 DEATH OF JVEMATTANOW. 

pected the villain had killed their master, and would have 
had him before a justice of peace, but he refused to go, 
and very insolently abused them. Whereupon they shot 
him down, and as they were carrying him to the governor, 
he died. 

As he was dying, he earnestly pressed the boys to pro- 
mise him two things. First, that they would not tell how 
he was killed ; and, secondly, that they would bury him 
among the English. So great was the pride of this vain 
heathen, that he had no other thoughts at his death, but 
the ambition of being esteemed aftei he was dead, as he 
had endeavored to make them believe of him while he was 
alive, viz., that he was invulnerable and immortal, though 
his increasing faintness convinced himself of the falsity of 
both. He imagined, that being buried among the English 
perhaps might conceal his death from his own nation, who 
might think him translated to some happier country. Thus 
he pleased himself to the last gasp with the boys' promises 
to carry on the delusion. This was reckoned all the pro- 
vocation given to that haughty and revengeful man Oppe- 
chancanough, (o act this bloody tragedy, and to take inde- 
fatigable pains to engage in so horrid villainy all the kings 
and nations bordering upon the English settlements, on the 
western shore of Chesapeake. 

§ 49. This gave the English a fair pretence of endeavor- 
ing the total extirpation of the Indians, but more especially 
of Oppechancanough and his nation. Accordingly, they set 
themselves about it, making use of the Roman maxim, 
(faith is not to be kept with heretics) to obtain their ends. 
For, after some months fruitless pursuit of them, who could 
too dexterously hide themselves in the woods, the English 
pretended articles of peace, giving them all manner of fair 
words and promises of oblivion. They designed thereby (as 
their own letters now on record, and their own actions 
•thereupon prove) to draw the Indians back, and entice 
them to plant their corn on their habitations nearest adjoin- 
ing to the English, and then to cut it up, when the summer 



MASSACRE OF THE INDIAN'S. 43 

should be too far spent (o leave them hopes of another crop 
that year, by which means they proposed to bring them to 
want necessaries and starve. And the English did so far 
accomplish their ends, as to bring the Indians to plant their 
corn at their usual habitations, whereby they gained an op- 
portunity of repaying them some part of the debt in their 
own coin, for they fell suddenly upon them, cut to pieces 
such of them as could not make their escape, and after- 
wards totally destroyed their corn. 

§50. Another effect of the massacre of the English, was 
the reducing all their settlements ag^ain to six or seven in 
number, for their better defence. Besides, it was such a dis- 
heartening to some -ood projects, then just advancing, that 
to this day they have never been put in execution, namely, 
the glasshouses in Jamestown, and the iron work at Falling 
Creek, which has been .already mentioned. The massacre 
fell so hard upon this last place, that no soul was saved but 
a boy and a girl, who with great difficulty hid themselves. 

The superintendent of this iron work had also discovered 
a vein of lead ore, which he kept private, and made use 
of it to furnish all the neighbors with bullets and shot. But. 
he being cut off with the rest, and the secret not having 
been communicated, this lead mine could never after be 
found, till Colonel Byrd, some few years ago, prevailed 
with an Indian, under pretence of hunting, to give him a 
sign by dropping his tomahawk at the place, (he not darin<x 
publicly to discover it, for fear of being murdered.) The 
sign was accordingly given, and the company at that time 
found several pieces of good lead ore upon the surface of 
the ground, and marked the trees thereabouts. Notwith- 
standing which, I know not by what witchcraft it happen-. 
but no mortal to this day could ever find that place again, 
though it be upon part of the Colonel's own possessions. 
And so it rests, till time and thicker settlements discover it. 

§51. Thus, the company of adventurers having, by those 
frequent acts of mismanagement, met with vast losses and 
misfortunes, many grew sick of it and parted with their 



44 MALADMINISTRATION OF THE COMPANY. 

shares, and others came into their places, and promoted the 
sending in fresh recruits of men and goods. But the chief 
design of all parties concerned, was to fetch away the trea- 
sure from thence, aiming more at sudden gain, than to form 
any regular colony, or establish a settlement in such a man- 
ner as to make it a lasting happiness to the country. 

Several gentlemen went over upon their particular stocks, 
separate from that of the company, with their own servants 
and goods, each designing to obtain land from the govern- 
ment, as Captain Newport had done, or at least to obtain 
patents, according to the regulations for granting lands to 
adventurers. Others sought their grants of the company in 
London, and obtained authorities and jurisdictions, as well 
as land, distinct from the authority of the government, 
which was the foundation of great, disorder, and the occa- 
sion of their following misfortunes. Among others, one 
Captain Martin, having made very considerable preparations 
towards a settlement, obtained a suitable grant of land, and 
was made of the council there. But he, grasping still at 
more, hankered after dominion, as well as possession, and 
caused so many differences, that at last he put all things 
into distraction, insomuch that the Indians, still seeking re- 
venge, took advantage of these dissensions, and fell foul 
again on the English, gratifying their vengeance with new 
bloodshed. 

§52. The fatal consequences of the company's malad- 
ministration cried so loud, that king Charles the first, com- 
ing to the crown of England, had a tender concern for the 
poor people that had been betrayed thither and lost. Upon 
which consideration he dissolved the company in the year 
1626, reducing the country and government into his own 
immediate direction, appointing Ihe governor and council 
himself, and ordering all patents and processes to issue in 
his own name, reserving to himself a quit-rent of two shil- 
lings for every hundred acres of land, and so pro rata. 



CHAPTER IV 



CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM 
THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY TO THE YEAR 
SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVEN. 

§ 53. The country being thus taken into the king's hands, 
his majesty was pleased to establish the constitution to be 
by a governor, council and assembly, and to confirm the 
former methods and jurisdictions of the several courts, as 
they had been appointed in the year 1620, and placed the 
last resort in the assembly. He likewise confirmed the 
rules and orders made by the first assembly for apportioning 
the land, and granting patents to particular adventurers. 

§ 54. This was a constitution according to their hearts 
desiie, and things seemed now to go on in a happy course 
for encouragement of the colony. People flocked over thither 
apace ; every one took up land by patent to his liking ; and, 
not minding anything but to be masters of great tracts of 
land, they planted themselves separately on their several 
plantations. Nor did they fear the Indians, but kept them 
at a greater distance than formerly. And they for their part, 
seeing the English so sensibly increase in number, were 
glad to keep their distance and be peaceable. 

This liberty of taking up land, and the ambition each 
man had of being lord of a vast, though unimproved terri- 
tory, together with the advantage of the many rivers, which 
afford a commodious road for shipping at every man's door, 
has made the country fall into such an unhappy settlement 
and course of trade, that to this day they have not any 
one place of cohabitation among them, that may reasonably 
bear the name of a town. 



46 THE MARYLAND GRANT. 

§55. The constitution being thus firmly established, and 
continuing its course regularly for some time, people began 
to lay aside all fears of any future misfortunes. Several 
gentlemen of condition went over with their whole families — 
some for bettering their estates — others for religion, and 
other reasons best known to themselves. Among those, the 
noble Crecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, 
thought, for the more quiet exercise of his religion, to 
retire, with his family, into that new world. For this pur- 
pose he went to Virginia, to try how he liked the place. 
But the people there looked upon him with an evil eye on 
account of his religion, for which alone he sought this re- 
treat, and by their ill treatment discouraged him from set- 
tling in that country. 

§ 56. Upon that provocation, his lordship resolved upon 
a farther adventure. And finding land enough up the bay 
of Chesapeake, which was likewise blessed with many brave 
rivers, and as yet altogether uninhabited by the English, he 
began to think of making a new plantation of his own. 
And for his more certain direction in obtaining a grant of it. 
he undertook a journey northwatd, to discover the land up 
the bay, and observe what might most conveniently square 
with his intent. 

His lordship finding all things in this discovery according 
to his wish, returned to England. And because the Virginia 
settlements at that time reached no farther than the south 
side of Potomac river, his lordship got a grant of the 
propriety cf Maryland, bounding it to the south by Poto- 
mac river, on the western shore ; and by an east line from 
Point Lookout, on the eastern shore ; but died himself be- 
fore he could embark for the promised land. 

Maryland had the honor to receive its name from queen 
Mary, royal consort to king Charles the first. 

§57. The old Lord Baltimore being thus taken off, and 
leaving his designs unfinished, his son and heir, in the year 
1633, obtained a confirmation of the patent to himself, and 
went over in person to plant his new colony. 



SIR JOHN HARVEY, GOVERNOR. 4< 

By thisHmhappy accident, a country which nature had so s 
well contrived for one, became two separate governments. 
This pioduced a most unhappy inconvenience to both ; for, 
these two being the only countries under the dominion of 
England that plant tobacco in any quantity, the ill conse- 
quences to both is, that when one colony goes about to 
prohibit the trash, or mend the staple of that commodity, 
to help the market, then the other, to take advantage of that 
market, pours into England all they can make, both good 
and bad, without distinction. This is very injurious to the 
other colony, which had voluntarily suffered so great a 
diminution in the quantity, to mend the quality ; and this 
is notoriously manifested from that incomparable Virginia 
law, appointing sworn agents to examine their tobacco. 

§ 58. Neither was this all the mischief that happened to 
Virginia upon this grant ; for the example of it had dread- 
ful consequences, and was in the end one of the occasions 
of another massacre by the Indians. For this precedent of 
my Lord Baltimore's graut, which entrenched upon the 
charters and bounds of Viiginia, was hint enough for other 
courtiers, (who never intended a settlement as my lord did) 
to find out something of the same kind to make money of. 
This was the occasion of several very large defalcations from 
Virginia within a few years afterwards, which was forwarded 
and assisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John 
Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit-rents 
and all, but the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged 
to that colony were given away — nay, sometimes in those 
giants he included the very settlements that had been before 
made. 

§ 59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was 
very unjust and arbitrary in his other methods of govern- 
ment. He exacted with rigor the fines and penalties, which 
the unwary assemblies of those times had given chiefly to 
himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council, 
and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny 
grew at last insupportable ; so that in the year 1639, the 



4S Sill WILLIAM BERKELEY APPOINTED GOVERNOR. 

council sent him a prisoner to London, and with him two 
of their number, to maintain the articles against him. This 
news being brought to king Charles the first, his majesty 
was very much displeased ; and, without hearing anything, 
caused him to return governor again. But by the next 
shipping he was graciously pleased to change him, and so 
made amends for this man's maladministration, by sending 
the good and just Sir William Berkeley to succeed him. 

§60. While these things were transacting, theie was so 
general a dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir 
John Harvey, and the difficulties in getting him out, that 
the whole colony was in confusion. The subtle Indians, 
who took all advantages, resented the incroachments upon 
them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and dis- 
united among themselves, and by the direction of Oppechan- 
canough, their king, laid the ground work of another mas- 
sacre, wherein, by surprise, they cut off near five hundred 
Christians more. But this execution did not take so general 
effect as formerly, because the Indians were not so fre- 
quently suffered to come among the inner habitations of the 
English ; and, therefore, the massacre fell severest on the 
south side of James river, and on the heads of the other 
rivers, but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechanca- 
nough kept the seat of his government. 

§ 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, 
noble presence, and extraordinary parts. Though he had 
no advantage of literature, (that being nowhere to be found 
among the American Indians) yet he was perfectly skilled 
in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused 
all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had 
them all entirely in subjection. 

This king in Smith's history is called brother to Powha- 
tan, but by the Indians he was not so esteemed. For they 
i say he was a prince of a foreign nation, and came to them 
f a great way from the south west. And by their accounts, 
we suppose him to have come from the Spanish Indians, 
somewhere near Mexico, or the mines of Saint Barbe ; but, 



CAPTURE OF OPPECITANCANOUGH. 49 

be that matter how it will, from that time, till his captivity, 
there never was the least truce between them and the 
English. 

§62. Sir William Berkeley, upon his arrival, showed such 
an opposition to the unjust grants made by Sir John Harvey, 
that very few of them took effect ; and such as did, were 
subjected to the settled conditions of the other parts of the 
government, and made liable to the payment of the full 
quit-rents. He encouraged the country in several essays of 
potash, soap, salt, flax, hemp, silk and cotton. But the 
Indian war, ensuing upon this last massacre, was a great 
obstruction to these good designs, by requiring all the spare 
men to be employed in defence of the country. 

§ 63. Oppechancanough, by his great age, and the fatigues 
of war, (in which Sir William Berkeley followed him close) 
was now grown so decrepid, that he was not able to walk 
alone, but was carried about by his men wherever he had 
a mind to move. His flesh was all macerated, his sinews 
slackened, and his eyelids became so heavy, that he could 
not see, but as they were lifted up by his servants. In 
this low condition he was, when Sir William Berkeley, 
hearing that he was at some distance from his usual habi- 
tation, resolved at all adventures to seize his person, which 
he happily effected. For with a party of horse he made a 
speedy march, surprised him in his quarters, and brought 
him prisoner to Jamestown, where, by the governor's com- 
mand, he was treated with all the respect and tenderness 
imaginable. Sir William had a mind to send him to Eng- 
land, hoping to get reputation by presenting his majesty 
with a royal captive, who at his pleasure, could call into 
the field ten limes more Indians, than Sir William Berkeley 
had English in his whole government. Besides, he thought 
this ancient prince would be an instance of the healthiness 
and long life cf the natives of that country. However, 
he could not preserve his life above a fortnight. For one 
of the soldiers, resenting the calamities the colony had suf- 



50 NEW PEACE WITH THE INDIANS. 

fered by this prince's means, basely shot him through the 
back, after he was made prisoner ; of which wound he 
died. 

He continued brave to the last moment of his life, and 
showed not the least dejection at his captivity. He heard 
one day a great noise of the treading of people about him ; 
upon which he caused his eyelids to be lifted up, and find- 
ing that a crowd of people were let in to see him, he called 
in high indignation for the governor, who being come, Oppe- 
chancanough scornfully told him, that had it been his for- 
tune to take Sir William Berkeley prisoner, he should not 
meanly have exposed him as a show to the people. 

§ 64. After this, Sir William Berkeley made a new peace 
with the Indians, 'which continued for a long time unviola- 
ted, insomuch that all the thoughts of future injury from 
them were laid aside. But he himself did not long enjoy 
the benefit of this profound peace ; for the unhappy 
troubles of king Charles the first increasing in England, 
proved a great disturbance to him and to all the people. 
They, to prevent the infection from reaching that country, 
made severe laws against the Puritans, though there were 
as yet none among them. But all correspondence with 
England was interrupted, supplies lessened, and trade 
obstructed. In a word, all people were impatient to know 
what would be the event of so much confusion. 

§ 65. At last the king was traitorously beheaded in Eng- 
land, and Oliver installed Protector. However his author- 
ity was not acknowledged in Virginia for several years after, 
till they were forced to it by the last necessity. For in the 
year 1651, by Cromwell's command, Captain Dennis, with 
a squadron of men of war, arrived there from the Carribbee 
islands, where they had been subduing Bardoes. The 
country at first held out vigorously against him, and Sir 
William Berkeley, by the assistance of such Dutch vessels 
as were then there, made a brave resistance. But at last 
Dennis contrived a stratagem, which betrayed the country. 
He had got a considerable parcel of goods aboard, which 



SUBJECTION OF THE COLONY TO CROMWELL. 51 

belonged to two of the Council, and found a method of in- 
forming them of it. By this means they were reduced to 
the dilemma, either of submitting or losing their goods. 
This occasioned factions among them ; so that at last, after 
the surrender of all the oilier English plantations, Sir Wm. 
was forced to submit to the usurper on the terms of a gen- 
eral pardon. However, it ought to be remembered, to his 
praise, and to the immortal honor of that colony, that it 
was the last of all the king's dominions that submitted to 
the usurpation ; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and 
he never took any post or office under the usurper. 

^ 06. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but 
he began to contrive how to keep them under, that so they 
might never be able for the time to come to give him 
farther trouble. To this end, he thought it necessary to 
break oil* their correspondence with all other nations, thereby 
to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and 
other warlike provisions. According to this design, he con- 
trived a severe act of Parliament, whereby he prohibited the 
plantations from receiving or exporting any European com- 
modities, but what should be carried to them by English- 
men, and in English built ships. They were absolutely 
forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject 
to the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered 
to manage a trade or factory in any of them. In all which 
things the plantations had been till then indulged, for their 
encouragement. 

^ 07. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector 
never thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently 
changed their governors, to prevent their intriguing with the 
people. So that, during the time of the usurpation, they 
had no less than three governors there, namely, Diggs, Ben- 
net and Mathews. 

§ 08. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plan- 
tations, exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhu- 
manity to forbid them all manner of trade and correspon- 
dence with other nations, at a time when England itself 



52 SIR WILLIAM BERKELEY CHOSEN GOVERNOR AGAIN. 

was in distraction ; and could neither take off their com- 
modities, nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither 
had they ever been used to supply them with half the 
commodities they expended, or to take off above half the 
tobacco they made. # Such violent proceedings made the peo- 
ple desperate, and inspired them with a desire to use the 
last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless usurpa- 
tion. In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened ; 
for Governor Mathews died, and no person was substituted 
to succeed him in the government. Whereupon the people 
applied themselves to Sir William Berkeley, (who had con- 
tinued all this time upon his own plantation in a private 
capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again. 

§ 69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an un- 
shaken loyalty for the royal family, and therefore generously 
told the people^ that he could not approve of the Protector's 
rule, and was resolved never to serve anybody but the law- 
ful heir to the crown ; and that if he accepted the govern- 
ment, it should be upon their solemn promise, after his 
example, to venture their lives and fortunes for the king, 
who was then in France. 

This was no great obstacle to them, and therefore with 
an unanimous voice they told him that they were ready to 
hazard all for the king. Now this was actually before the 
king's return for England, and proceeded from a brave prin- 
ciple of loyalty, for which they had no example. Sir William 
Berkeley embraced their choice, and forthwith proclaimed 
Charles the second king of England, Scotland, France, 
Ireland and Virginia, and caused all process to be issued 
in his name. Thus his majesty was actually king in Vir- 
ginia, before he was so in England. But it pleased God to 
restore him soon after to the throne of his ancestors ; and 
so that country escaped being chastised for throwing off the 
usurpation. 

§70. Upon the king's restoration, he sent Sir William 
Berkeley a new commission, with leave to return to Eng- 
land, and power to appoint a deputy in his absence. For 



Berkeley's visit to the king. 53 

his majesty in his exile had received intelligence of this 
gentleman's loyalty, and during that time had renewed his 
commission. 

§71. Upon this, Sir William Berkeley appointed Colonel 
Francis Morrison Deputy Governor, and went for England 
to wait on his majesty, by whom he was kindly received. 
At his return he carried his majesty's pressing instructions 
for encouraging the people in husbandry and manufactures, 
but more especially to promote silk and vineyards. There 
is a tradition, that the king, in compliment to that colony, 
wore at his coronation a rob& made of the silk that was 
sent from thence. Eut this was all the reward the country 
had for their loyalty ; for the Parliament was pleased to 
renew the act contrived by the usurper for discouraging the 
plantations, with severer restraints and prohibitions by bonds, 
securities, &c. 

§ 72. During the time of Sir William Berkeley's absence, 
Colonel Morrison had, according to his directions, revised 
the laws, and compiled them into one body, ready to be 
confirmed by the assembly at his return. By these laws, the 
church of England was confirmed the established religion, 
the charge of the government sustained, tradcoand manu- 
factures were encouraged, a towu projected, and all the 
Indian affairs settled. 

§ 73. The parishes were likewise regulated, competent 
allowances were made to the ministers, to the value of 
about fourscore pounds a year, besides glebes and perqui- 
sites, and the method of their preferment was settled. Con- 
venient churches and glebes were provided, and all necessary 
parish officers instituted. Some steps were made also towards 
a free school and college, and the poor were effectually 
provided for. 

§ 74. For support of the government, the duty of two 
shillings per hogshead on all tobaccos, and that of one 
shilling per ton port duty on shipping, were made per- 
petual ; and the collectors were obliged to account for the 
same to the general assembly. 



54 PROSPERITY OF THE COLONY. 

§ 75. For encouragement of manufactures, prizes were ap- 
pointed for the makers of the best pieces of linen cloth, 
and a reward of fifty pounds of tobacco was given for each 
pound of silk. All persons were enjoined to plant mul- 
berry trees, for the food of the silk worm, according to the 
number of acres of land they held. Tan houses were set 
up in each county, at the county charge ; and public en- 
couragement was given to a salt work on the eastern shore. 
A reward was appointed in proportion to the tonnage of all 
sea vessels built there, and an exemption allowed from all 
fees and duties payable by such shipping. 

§ 76. The king had commanded, that all ships trading to 
Virginia should go to Jamestown, and there enter before 
they broke bulk. But the assembly, from the impractica- 
bleness of that command, excused all, except the James 
river ships, from that order, and left the others in the rivers 
they were bound to, to ride dispersed, as the commanders 
pleased ; by whose example the James river ships were no 
sooner entered with the officer at Jamestown, but they also 
dispersed themselves to unload, and trade all over the river. 
By this means the design of towns was totally balked, and 
this oider \ oved only an ease to the officer of James river, 
and a means of creating a good place to him. 

§ 77. Peace and commerce with the Indians was settled 
by law, and their boundaries prescribed. Several other acts 
were made suiting the necessity of the government ; so that 
nothing then seemed to remain, but the improvement of the 
country, and encouragement of those manufactures the king 
had been pleased to recommend, together with such others 
as should be found beneficial. 

§ 78. Sir William Berkeley at his return gave sanction to 
this body of laws, and being then again in full possession 
of his government, and at perfect peace with the Indians, 
set all hands industriously to work in making country im- 
provements. He passed a new act for encouragement of 
Jamestown, whereby several houses were built therein, at. 
the charge of several counties. However, the main ingre- 



PERSECUTION OP THE SECTARIES. 55 

client for the advancement of towns was still wanting, 
namely, the confinement of all shipping and trade to them 
only, by defect of which all the other expedients availed 
nothing, for most of the buildings were soon converted into 
houses of entertainment. 

§ 79. Anno 1GG3, divers sectaries in religion beginning 
to spread themselves there, great restraints were laid upon 
i hem, under severe penalties, to prevent their increase. 

This made many of them fly to other colonies, and pre- 
vented abundance of others from going over to seat them- 
selves among (hem. And as the former ill treatment of my 
Lord Baltimore kept many people away, and drove others 
to Maryland, so the present severities towards the noncon- 
formists kept off many more, who went to the neighbor- 
ing colonies. 

§ 80. The rigorous circumscription of their trade, the 
persecutions of the sectaries, and the little demand of tobacco, 
had like to have had very fatal consequences. For, the 
poor people becoming thereby very uneasy, their murmurings 
were watched and fed by several mutinous and rebellious 
Oliverian soldiers that were sent thither as servants. These, 
depending upon the discontented people of all sorts, formed 
a villainous plot to destroy their masters, and afterwards to 
set up for themselves. 

This plot was brought so near to perfection, that it was 
the very night before the designed execution ere it was 
discovered ; and then it came out by the relenting of one 
of their accomplices, whose name was Birkenhead. This 
man was servant to Mr. Smith of Purton, in Gloucester 
county, near which place, viz. at Poplar Spring, the mis- 
creants were to meet the night following, and put in exe- 
cution their horrid conspiracy. 

§81. Upon this discovery by Birkenhead, notice was im- 
mediately sent to the governor at Green Spring. And the 
method he took to prevent it was by private orders, that 
some of the militia should meet befoie the time at the place 
where the conspirators were to rendezvous, and seize them 



56 NEW ACT OF PARLIAMENT. 

as they came singly up to it. Which orders being happily 
executed, their devilish plot was defeated. However, there 
were but a few taken ; because several of them making 
their escape, turned back such of their fellows as they met 
on the road, and prevented most of them from coming up, 
or from being discovered. 

Four of these rogues were hanged. But Birkenhead was 
gratified with his freedom, and a reward of two hundred 
pounds sterling. 

§ 82. For the discovery and happy disappointment of this 
plot, an anniversary thanksgiving was appointed on the 13th 
of September, the clay it was to have been put in execution. 
And it is great pity some other days are not commemorated 
as well as that. 

§ 83. The news of this plot being transmitted to king 
Charles the second, his majesty sent his royal commands to 
build a fort at Jamestown, for security of the governor, and 
to be a curb upon all such traitorous attempts for the future. 
But the country, thinking the clanger over, only raised a 
battery of some small pieces of cannon. 

§84. Another misfortune happened to the plantations this 
year, which was a new act of parliament in England, laying 
a severer restraint upon their supplies than formerly. By 
' this act they could have no foreign goods, which were not 
first landed in England, and carried directly from thence to 
the plantations, the former restraint of importing them only 
by Englishmen, in English built shipping, not being thought 
sufficient. 

This was a misfortune that cut with a double edge ; for, 
first, it reduced their staple tobacco to a very low price ; 
and, secondly, it raised the value of European goods to 
what the merchants pleased to put upon them. 

§85. For this their assembly could think of no remedy, 
but to be even with the merchants, and make their tobacco 
scarce by prohibiting the planting of it for one year ; and 
during that idle year to invite the people to enter upon 
manufacturing flax and hemp. But Maryland not concur- 



EFFECTS OF THE NEW ACT OF PARLIAMENT. 57 

ring in this project, they were obliged in their own defence 
to repeal the act of assembly again, and return to their 
old drudgery of planting tobacco without profiting by it. 

§S6. The country thus missed of their remedy in the 
stint of tobacco, which on the contrary multiplied exceed- 
ingly by the great increase of servants. This, together with 
the above mentioned curbs on trade, exasperated the people, 
because now they found themselves under a necessity of 
exchanging their commodities with the merchants of England 
at their own terms. The assembly therefore again attempted 
the stint of tobacco, and passed another act against planting 
it for one year. And Carolina and Maryland both agreed 
to it. But some Accident hindering the agent of Carolina 
from giving notice thereof to Maryland by the day appointed, 
the governor of that province proclaimed the act void, al- 
though every body there knew that Carolina had fully agreed 
to all things required of them. But he took advantage . of 
this nice punctilio, because of the loss such a diminution 
would have been to his annual income, and so all people 
relapsed again into the disease of planting tobacco. 

Virginia was more nettled at this ill usage horn Maryland, 
than at her former absolute denial ; but were forced to take 
all patiently, and by fair means get relief, if they could. 
They therefore -appointed agents to reassume the treaty, and 
submitted so low as to send them to Saint Mary's, then 
the residence of the governor of Maryland, and the place 
where the assemblies met. Yet all this condescension could 
not hold them to their bargain. The governor said he had 
observed his part of the agreement, and would not call an 
assembly any more upon that subject. 

§ 87. In this manner two whole years were spent, and 
nothing could be accomplished for their relief. In the mean 
while England was studious to prevent their receiving sup- - 
plies from any other country. To do that more effectually, 
it was thought expedient to confine the trade of that colony 
to one place. But that not being found practicable, because 
of the many great rivers that divide their habitations, and 
8 



58 PLAGUE AND FIRE IN LONDON, 1665-6. 

the extraordinary conveniences of each, his majesty sent 
directions to build forts in the several rivers, and enjoined 
all the ships to ride under those forts ; and farther ordered, 
that those places only should be the ports of trade. 

§ 88. This instruction "was punctually observed for a year, 
and preparations were made for ports, by casting up breast- 
works in such places as the assembly appointed, and the 
shipping did for that time ride at those places. But the 
great fire and plague happening in London immediately 
upon it, made their supplies that year very uncertain, and 
the terror the people were in, lest the plague should be 
brought over with the ships from London, prevented them 
from residing at those ports, for fear of being all swept 
away at once. And so every body was left at liberty again. 

§ S9. Still no favor could be obtained for the tobacco 
trade, and the English merchants afforded but a bare sup- 
port of clothing for their crops. The assembly were full 
enough of resentment, but overlooked their right way of re- 
dress. All they could do was to cause looms and work- 
houses to be set up in the several counties, at the county 
charge. They renewed the rewards of silk, and put great 
penalties upon every neglect of making flax and hemp. 
About this time they sustained some damage by the Dutch 
war ; for which reason they ordered the forts to be rebuilt 
of brick. But having yet no true notion of the advantage 
of towns, they did not oblige the ships to ride under them. 
Which thing alone, well executed, would have answered 
all their desires. 

§ 90. Sir William Berkeley, who was always contriving and 
industrious for the good of the country, was not contented 
to set a useful example at home, by the essays he made of 
potash, flax, hemp, silk, &c, but was also resolved to make 
new discoveries abroad amongst the Indians. 

For this end he employed a small company of about 
fourteen English, and as many Indians, under the com- 
mand of Captain Henry Batt, to go upon such an adventure. 
They set out. together from Appomattox, and in seven days' 



UAPTAiN r.vtt's expedition. 59 

march reached the foot of the mountains. The mountains 
they first arrived at, were not extraordinary high or steep ; 
but, after they had passed the first ridge, they encountered 
others that seemed to reach the clouds, and were so perpen- 
dicular and full of precipices, that sometimes in a whole 
day's march, they could not travel three miles in a direct 
line. In other places they found large level plains and fine 
savannas, three or four miles wide, in which were an 
infinite quantity of turkies, deer, elks and buffaloes, so gen- 
tle and undisturbed that they had no fear at the appearance 
of the men, but would suffer them to come almost within 
reach of their hands. There they also found grapes so pro- 
digiously large, that they seemed more like bullace than 
grapes. When they traversed these mountains, they came 
to a fine level country again, and discovered a rivulet that 
descended backwards. Down that stream they travelled sev- 
eral days, till they came to old fields and cabins, where the 
Indians had lately been, but were supposed to have fled at 
the approach of Bait and his company. However, the cap- 
tain followed the old rule of leaving some toys in their 
cabins for them to find at their return, by which they might 
know they were friends. Near to these cabins were great 
marshes, where the Indians which Captain Batt had with 
him made a halt, and would positively proceed no farther. 
They said, that not far off from that place lived a nation 
of Indians, that made salt, and sold it to their neighbors. 
That this was a great and powerful people, which never 
suffered any strangers to return that had once discovered their 
towns. Captain Batt used all the arguments he could to 
get them forward, but in vain. And so, to please those tim- 
orous Indians, the hopes of this discovery were frustrated, 
and the detachment was forced to return. In this journey 
it is supposed that Batt never crossed the great ridge of 
mountains, but kept up under it to the southward. For of 
late years the Indian traders have discovered, on this side 
the mountains, about five hundred miles to the southward, 
a river they call Oukfuskie, full of broad sunken grounds 



60 bacon's rebellion, 167(5. 

and marshes, but. falling into the bay or great gulf between 
cape Florida and the mouth of the Mississippi, which I 
suppose to be the river where Batt saw the Indian cabins 
and marshes, but is gone to from Virginia without ever pierc- 
ing the high mountains, and only encountering the point of 
an elbow, which they make a little to the southward of 
Virginia. 

§91. Upon Captain Bait's report to Sir William Berke- 
ley, he resolved to make a journey himself, that so theie 
might be no hinderance for want of sufficient authority, as 
had been in the aforesaid expedition. To this end he con- 
certed matters for it, and had pitched upon his deputy gov- 
ernor. The assembly also made an act to encourage it. 
But all these preparations came to nothing, by the confusion 
which happened there soon after by Bacon's rebellion. And 
since that, there has never been any such discovery attempted 
from Virginia, when Governor Spotswood found a passage 
over the great ridge of mountains, and went over them 
himself. 

§92. The occasion of this rebellion is not easy to be 
discovered : but 'tis certain there were many things that 
concurred towards it. For it cannot be imagined, that upon 
the instigation of two or three traders only, who aimed at 
a monopoly of the Indian trade, as some pretend to say, 
the whole country would have fallen into so much distrac- 
tion ; in which people did not only hazard their necks by 
rebellion, but endeavored to ruin a governor, whom they 
all entirely loved, and had unanimously chosen ; a gentle- 
man who had devoted his whole life and estate to the ser- 
vice of the country, and against whom in thirty-five years 
experience there had never been one single complaint. 
Neither can it be supposed, that upon so slight grounds, 
they would make choice of a leader they hardly knew, to 
oppose a gentleman that had been so long and so deserv- 
edly the darling of the people. So that in all probability 
there was something else in the wind, without which the 
body of the country had never been engaged in that insur- 
rection. 



king charles' new grants. 61 

Four things may be reckoned to have been the main in- 
gredients towards this intestine commotion, viz., First, The 
extreme low price of tobacco, and the ill usage of the plan- 
ters in the exchange of goods for it, which the country, 
with all their earnest endeavors, could not remedy. Se- 
condly, The splitting the colony into proprieties, contrary 
to the original charters ; and the extravagant taxes they 
were forced to undergo, to relieve themselves from those 
grants. Thirdly, The heavy restraints and burdens laid 
upon their trade by act of Parliament in England. Fourth- 
ly, The disturbance given by the Indians. Of all which 
in their order. 

§93. First, Of the low price of tobacco, and the disap- 
pointment of all sort of remedy, I have spoken sufficiently 
before. Secondly, Of splitting the country into proprieties. 

King Charles the Second, to gratify some nobles about 
him, made two great grants out of that country. These 
grants were not of the uncultivated wood land only, but 
also of plantations, which for many years had been seated 
and improved, under the encouragement of several charters 
granted by his royal ancestors to that colony. Those grants 
were distinguished by the names of the Northern and South- 
em grants of Virginia, and the same men were concerned 
in both. They were kept dormant some years after they 
were made, and in the year 1674 begun to be put in exe- 
cution. As soon as ever the country came to know this, 
they remonstrated against them ; and the assembly drew 
up an humble address to his majesty, complaining of the 
said grants, as derogatory to the previous charters and privi- 
leges granted to that colony, by his majesty and his royal 
progenitors. They sent to England Mr. Secretary Ludweli 
and Colonel Park, as their agents to address the king, to 
vacate those grants. And the better to defray that charge, 
they laid a tax of fifty pounds of tobacco per poll, for two 
years together, over and above all other taxes, which was 
an excessive burden. They likewise laid amercements of 
seventy, fifty, or thirty pounds of tobacco, as the cause was 



62 cause op bacon's rebellion. 

on every law case tried throughout the country. Besides all 
this, they applied the balance, remaining due upon account 
of the two shilling per hogshead, and fort duties, to this 
use. Which taxes and amercements fell heaviest on the 
poor people, the effect of whose labor would not clothe 
their wives and children. This made them desperately unr 
easy, especially when, after a whole year's patience under 
all these pressures, they had no encouragement from (heir 
agents in England, to hope for remedy ; nor any certainty 
when they should be eased of those heavy impositions. 

§94. Thirdly, Upon the back of all these misfortunes 
came out the act of 25 Car. II. for better securing the 
plantation trade. By this act several duties were laid on 
the trade from one plantation to another. This was a new 
hardship, and the rather, because the revenue arising by 
this act was not applied to the use of the plantations 
wherein it was raised : but given clear away ; nay, in that 
country it seemed to be of no other use, but to burden the 
trade, or create a good income to the officers ; for the col- 
lector had half, the comptroller a quarter, and the remain- 
ing quarter was subdivided into salaries, till it was lost. 

By the same act also very great duties were laid on the 
fisheries of the plantations, if manufactured by the English 
inhabitants there ; while the people of England were abso- 
lutely free from all customs. Nay, though the oil, blubber 
and whale bone, which were made by the inhabitants of 
the plantations, were carried to England by Englishmen, 
and in English built ships, yet it was held to a considera- 
ble duty, more than the inhabitants of England paid. 

§ 95. These were the afflictions that country labored un- 
der when the fourth accident happened, viz., the distur- 
bance offered by the Indians to the frontiers. 

This was occasioned, first, by the Indians on the head of 
the bay. Secondly, by the Indians on their own frontiers. 

First. The Indians at the head of the bay drove a con- 
stant trade with the Dutch in Monadas, now called New 
York ; and to carry on this, they used to come every year 



CAUSE QF BACON'S REBELLION'. 63 

by the frontiers of Virginia, to hunt and purchase skins and 
furs of the Indians to the southward. This trade was car- 
tied on peaceably while the Dutch held Monadas ; and the 
Indians used to call on the English in Virginia on their re- 
turn, to whom they would sell part of their furs, and with 
the rest go on to Monadas. But after the English came to 
possess that place, and understood the advantages the Vir- 
ginians made by the iiade of their Indians, they inspired 
them with such a hatred to the inhabitants of Virginia that, 
instead of coming peaceably to trade with them, as they 
had done for several years before, they afterwards never 
came, but only to commit robberies and murders upon the 
people. 

Secondly. The Indians upon their own frontiers were 
likewise inspired with ill thoughts of them. For their In- 
dian merchants had lost a considerable branch of their trade 
they knew not how ; and apprehended the consequences of 
Sir William Berkeley's intended discoveries, (espoused by 
the assembly,) might take away the remaining part of 
their profit. This made them very troublesome to the 
neighbor Indians ; who on their part, observing an unusual 
uneasiness in the English, and being terrified by their rough 
usage, immediately suspected some wicked design against 
their lives, and so lied to their remoter habitations. This 
confirmed the English in the belief, that they had been the 
murderers, till at last they provoked them to be so in earnest. 

§ 96. This addition of mischief to minds already full of 
discontent, made people ready to vent all their resentment 
against the poor Indians. There was nothing to be got by 
tobacco ; neither could they turn any other manufacture to 
advantage ; so that most of the poorer sort were willing to quit 
their unprofitable employments, and go volunteers against 
the Indians. 

At first they flocked together tumultuously, running in 
troops from one plantation to another without a head, till 
at last the seditious humor of Colonel Nath. Bacon led him 
to be of the party. This gentleman had been brought up 



64 BACON TAKES COMMAND. 

at one of the Inns of court in England, and had a mode- 
rate fortune. He was young, bold, active, of an inviting 
aspect, and powerful elocution. In a word, he was every 
way qualified to head a giddy and unthinking multitude 
Before he had been three years in the country, he was, for 
his extraordinary qualifications, made one of the council, 
and in great honor and esteem among the people. For this 
reason he no sooner gave countenance to this riotous mob, 
but they all presently fixed their eyes upon him for their 
general, and accordingly made their addresses to him. 
As soon as he found this, he harangued them pub- 
licly. He aggravated the Indian mischiefs, complaining 
that they were occasioned for want of a due regulation 
of their trade. He recounted particularly the other grie- 
vances and pressures they lay under, and pretended that 
he accepted of their command with no other intention 
but to do them and the country service, in which he was 
willing to encounter the greatest difficulties and dangers. 
He farther assured them he would never lay down his 
arms till he had revenged their sufferings upon the In- 
dians, and redressed all their other grievances. 

§97. By these insinuations he wrought his men into so 
perfect an unanimity, that they were one and all at his de- 
votion. He took care to exasperate them to the utmost, by 
representing all their misfortunes. After he had begun to 
muster them, he dispatched a messenger to the governor, 
by whom he aggravated the mischiefs done by the Indians, 
and desired a commission of general to go out against 
them. This gentleman was in so great esteem at that time 
with the council, that the governor did not think fit to 
give him a flat refusal ; but sent him word he would con- 
sult the council, and return him a farther answer. 

§ 98. In the mean time Bacon was expeditious in his 
preparations, and having all things in readiness, began his 
march, depending on the authority the people had given 
him. He would not lose so much time as to stay for his 
commission ; but dispatched several messengers to the go- 



BACON IS SUSPENDED FROM THE COUNCIL. 65 

vernor to hasten it. On the other hand, the governor, 
instead of a commission, sent positive orders to him to dis- 
perse his men and come down in person to him, upon pain 
of being declared a rebel. 

§ 99. This unexpected order was a great surprise to 
Bacon, and not a little trouble to his men. However, he 
was resolved to prosecute his first intentions, depending upon 
his strength and interest with the "people. Nevertheless, he 
intended to wait upon the governor, but not altogether de- 
fenceless. Pursuant to this resolution, he took about forty 
of his men down with him in a sloop to Jamestown, where 
the governor was with his council. 

§100. Matters did not succeed there to Mr. Bacon's sat- 
isfaction, wherefore he expressed himself a little too freely. 
For which, being suspended from the council, be went 
away again in a huff with his sloop and followers. The 
governor filled a long boat with men, and pursued the 
sloop so close, that Colonel Bacon moved into his boat to 
make more haste. But the governor had sent up by land 
to the ships at Sandy Point, where he was stopped and 
sent down again. Upon his return he was kindly received 
by the governor, who, knowing he had gone a step beyond 
his instructions in having suspended him, was glad to admit 
him again of the council ; after which he hoped all things 
might be pacified. 

§101. Notwithstanding this, Colonel Bacon still insisted 
upon a commission to be general of the volunteers, and to 
go out against the Indians ; from which the governor en- 
deavored to dissuade him, but to no purpose, because he 
had some secret project in view. He had the luck to be 
countenanced in his importunities, by the news of fresh 
murder and robberies committed by the Indians. However, 
not being able to accomplish his ends by fair means, he 
stole privately out of town ; and having put himself at the 
head of six hundred volunteers, marched directly to James- 
town, where the assembly was then sitting. He presented 
himself before the assembly, and drew up his men in battalia 



66 BACON OBTAINS A COMMISSION. 

before the house wherein they sat. He urged to them his 
preparations ; and alledged that if the commission had not 
been delayed so long, the war against the Indians might 
have been finished. 

§ 102. The governor resented this insolent usage worst of 
all, and now obstinately refused to grant him anything, 
offering his naked breast againt the presented arms of his 
followers. But the assembly, fearing the fatal consequences 
of piovoking a discontented multitude ready armed, who 
had the governor, council and assembly entirely in their 
power, addressed the governor to grant Bacon his request. 
They prepared themselves the commission, constituting him 
general of the forces of Virginia, and brought it to the 
governor to be signed. 

With much reluctancy the governor signed it, and thereby 
put the power of war and peace into Bacon's hands. 
Upon this he marched away immediately, having gained 
his end, which was in effect a power to secure a monopoly 
of the Indian trade to himself and his friends. 

§ 103. As soon as General Bacon had marched to such 
a convenient distance from Jamestown that the assembly 
thought they might deliberate with safety, the governor, 
by their advice, issued a proclamation of rebellion against 
him, commanding his followers to surrender him, and forth- 
with disperse themselves, giving orders at the same time for 
raising the militia of the country against him. 

§104. The people being much exasperated, and Gen- 
eral Bacon by his address and eloquence having gained 
an absolute dominion over their hearts, they unanimously 
resolved that not a hair of his head should be touched, 
much less that they should surrender him as a rebel. There- 
fore they kept to their arms, and instead of proceeding 
against the Indians they marched back to Jamestown, di- 
recting their fury against such of their friends and country- 
men as should dare to oppose them. 

§105. The governor seeing this, fled over the bay to 
Accomac, whither he hoped the infection of Bacon's con- 



DECLARATION OF BACON'S CONVENTION. 67 



« 



spiracy had not reached. But there, instead of that peo- 
ple's receiving him with open arms, in remembrance of 
the former services he had done them, they began to make 
terms with him for redress of their grievances, and for the 
ease and liberty of trade against the acts of parliament. 
Thus Sir William, who had been almost the idol of the 
people, was, by reason of their calamity and jealousy, aban- 
doned by all, except some few, who went over to him from 
the western shore in sloops and boats, among which one 
Major Robert Beverley was the most active and successful 
commander ; so that it was sometime before he could make 
head against Bacon, but left him to range through the 
country at discretion. 

§ 106. General Bacon at first held a convention, of such 
of the chief gentlemen of the country as would come to 
him, especially of those about Middle Plantation, who were 
near at hand. At this convention they made a declaration 
to justify his unlawful proceedings, and obliged people to 
take an oath of obedience to him as their general. Then, 
by their advice, on pretence of the governor's abdication, 
he called an assembly, by writs signed by himself and four 
others of the council. 

The oath was word for word as follows : 

" Whereas the country hath raised an army against our 
common enemy the Indians, and the same under the com- 
mand of General Bacon, being upon the point to 
march forth against the said common enemy, hath been 
diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of 
forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said 
General Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil war 
among us, to the ruin of this his majesty's country. And 
whereas it is notoriously manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, 
knight, governor of the country, assisted, counselled and 
abetted by those evil disposed persons aforesaid, hath not 
only commanded, fomented and stirred up the people to 
the said civil war, but failing therein, hath withdrawn 
himself, to the great astonishment of the people, and the 



68 DECLARATION CONTINUED. 

unsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, 
raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full 
of dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting 
attempts from the said governor and the evil counsellers 
aforesaid. And since no proper means have been found 
out for the settlement of the distractions, and preventing 
the horrid outrages and murders daily committed in many 
places of the country by the barbarous enemy, it hath been 
thought fit by the said general, to call unto him all such 
sober and discreet gentlemen as the present circumstances 
of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, to 
consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the 
country. So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of 
August, 1676, accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare 
and conclude, and for ourselves do swear in manner follow- 
ing : 

1st. That we will at all times join with the said general 
Bacon and his army, against the common enemy in all 
points whatsoever. 

2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived 
and designed the raising forces against the said general, 
and the army under his command, thereby to beget a civil 
war, we will endeavor the discovery and apprehending of 
all and every of those evil disposed persons, and them 
secure, until farther order from the general. 

3rd. And whereas it is credibly ieported, that the gov- 
ernor hath informed the king's majesty that, the said general, 
and the people of the country in arms under his command, 
their aiders and abettors, are rebellious, and removed from 
their allegiance ; and that upon such like information, he, 
the said governor, hath advised and petitioned the king to 
send forces to reduce them, we do farther declare and be- 
lieve in our consciences, that it consists with the welfare of 
this country, and with our allegiance to his most sacred 
majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, to the utmost 
of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces whatsoever 
of that nature, until such time as the king be fully informed 



DEATH OP GENERAL BACON. 69 

of the state of the case, by such person or persons as shall 
be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the 
people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. 
And we do swear, that we will him, the said general, and 
the army under his command, aid and assist accordingly. 

§108. By this time the governor had got together a 
small party to side with him. These he furnished with 
sloops, arms and ammunition, under command of Major 
Robert Beverley, in order to cross the bay and oppose the 
malcontents. By this means there happened some skir- 
mishes, in which several were killed, and others taken 
prisoners. Thus they were going on by a civil war to des- 
troy one another, and lay waste their infant country, when 
it pleased God, after some months' confusion, to put an end 
to their misfortunes, as well as to Bacon's designs, by his 
natural death. He died at Dr. Green's in Gloucester county. 
But where he was buried was never yet discovered, though 
afterward there was great inquiry made, with design to 
expose his bones to public infamy. 

§109. In the meanwhile those disorders occasioned a 
general neglect of husbandry, and a great destruction of the 
stocks of cattle, so that people had a dreadful prospect of 
want and famine. But the malcontents being thus disuni- 
ted by the loss of their general, in whom they all confided, 
they began to squabble among themselves, and every man's 
business was, how to make the best terms he could for 
himself. 

Lieutenant General Ingram, (whose true name was John- 
son) and Major General Walklate, surrendered, on condition 
of pardon for themselves and their followers, though they 
were both forced to submit to an incapacity of bearing office 
in that country for the future. 

Peace being thus restored, Sir William Berkeley returned 
to his former seat of government, and every man to his 
several habitation. 

§110. While this intestine war was fomenting there, the 
agents of the country in England could not succeed in their 



70 JAMESTOWN BURNT. 

remonstrance against the propriety grants, though they were 
told that those grants should be revoked. But the news of 
their civil war reaching England about the same time, the 
king would then proceed no farther in that matter. So the 
agents thought it their best way to compound with the pro- 
prietors. Accordingly they agreed with them for four hun- 
dred pounds a man, which was paid. And so all the 
clamor against those grants ended ; neither was any more 
heard from them there till above a dozen years afterwards. 
§111. But all those agents could obtain after their com- 
position with the lords, was merely the name of a new 
charter, granting only so much of their former constitution 
as mentioned a residence of the governor or deputy ; a 
granting of escheat lands for two pounds of tobacco per 
acre, composition ; and that the lands should be held of 
the crown in the same tenure as East Greenwich, that is, 
free and common soccage, and have their immediate de- 
pendence on the crown. 

§112. When this storm, occasioned by Bacon, was blown 
over, and all things quiet again, Sir William Berkeley called 
an assembly, for settling the affairs of the country, and for 
making reparation to such as had been oppressed. After 
which a regiment of soldiers arrived from England, which 
were sent to suppress the insurrection ; but they, coming 
after the business was over, had no occasion to exercise their 
courage. However, they were kept on foot there about 
three years after, and in the Lord Colepepper's time, paid 
off and disbanded. 

§113. The confusion occasioned by the civil war, and 
the advantage the Indians made of it in butcheriug the 
English upon all their frontiers, caused such a desolation, 
and put the country so far back, that to the year 1704 they 
had seated very little beyond the boundaries that were then 
inhabited. At that time Jamestown was again burnt down 
to the ground by Richard Laurence, one of Bacon's cap- 
tains, who, when his own men, that abhorred such barbar- 
ity, refused to obey his command, he himself became the 



DEATH OF BERKELEY. < i 

executioner, and fired the houses with his own hands. 
This unhappy town did never after arrive to the perfec- 
tion it then had : and now it is almost deserted by remo- 
ving in Governor Nicholson's time the assembly and general 
court from thence to Williamsburg, an inland place about 
seven miles from it. 

§114. With the regiment above mentioned arrived com- 
missioners, to enquire into the occasion and authors of this 
rebellion ; and Sir William Berkeley came to England : 
where from the time of his arrival, his sickness obliged him 
to keep his chamber till he died ; so that he had no oppor- 
tunity of kissing the king's hand. But his majesty declared 
himself well satisfied with his conduct in Virginia, and was 
very kind to him during his sickness, often enquiring after 
his health, and commanding him not to hazard it by too 
early an endeavor to come to court. 

§115. Upon Sir William Berkeley's voyage to England, 
Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., was appointed governor. He made 
formal articles of peace with the Indians, and held an as- 
sembly at Middle Plantation, wherein they settled and al- 
lowed a free trade with the Indians j but restrained it to 
certain marts, to which the Indians should bring their com- 
modities : and this also to be under such certain rules as 
were by that assembly directed. But this method was not 
agreeable to the Indians, who had never before been under 
any regulation. They thought, that if all former usages 
were not restored, the peace was not perfect ; and therefore 
did not much rely upon it, which made those new restric- 
tions useless. 

Governor Jeffreys his time was very short there, he being 
taken off by death the year following. 

§116. After him Sir Henry Chicheley' was made deputy 
governor, in the latter end of the year 1678. In his time 
the assembly, for the greater terror of the Indians, built 
magazines at the heads of the four great rivers, and fur- 
nished them with arms, ammunition and men in constant 
service. 



72 GOVERNOR COLEPEPPER. 

This assembly also prohibited the importation of tobacco, 
which Carolina, and sometimes Maryland, were wont to 
send thither, in order to its being shipped off for England. 
But in that, I think, Virginia mistook her interest. For, 
had they permitted this custom to become habitual, and 
thus engrossed the shipping, as would soon have happened, 
they could easily have regulated the trade of tobacco at any 
time, without the concurrence of those other colonies, and 
without submitting to their perverse humors as formerly. 

§117. The spring following, Thomas Lord Colepepper 
arrived there governor, and carried with him some laws, 
which had been drawn up in England, to be enacted in 
their assembly. And coming with the advantage of restor- 
ing peace to a troubled nation, it was not difficult for him 
to obtain whatever he' pleased from the people. His influ- 
ence too was the greater by the power he had of pardoning 
those who had a hand in the disorders committed in the 
late rebellion. 

§ 1 1 8. In his first assembly he passed several acts very 
obliging to the country, viz., First, an act of naturalization, 
whereby the power of naturalizing foreigners was placed in 
the governor. Secondly, an act for cohabitation and encour- 
agement of trade and manufactures ; whereby a certain place 
in each county was appointed for a town, in which all 
goods imported and exported were to be landed and shipped 
off, bought and sold. Which act was kindly brought to 
nothing by the opposition of the tobacco merchants of Eng- 
land. Thirdly, an act of general pardon and oblivion, 
whereby all the transgressions and outrages committed in the 
time of the late rebellion were entirely remitted ; and repa- 
ration allowed to people that should be evil spoken of on 
that account. 

§119. By passing some laws that obliged the country, the 
Lord Colepepper carried one that was very pleasing to him- 
self, viz., the act for raising a public revenue for the better 
support of the government. By this he got the duties con- 
tained therein to be made perpetual ; and that the money, 



GOVERNOR COLEPEPPER. 73 

which before used to be accounted for to the assembly, 
should be from thenceforth disposed of by his majesty's sole 
direction, for the support of the government. When this 
was done, he obtained of the king out of the said duties a 
salary of two thousand pounds per annum, instead of one 
thousand, which was formerly allowed. Also one hundred 
and sixty pounds per annum for house rent, besides all the 
usual perquisites. 

§120. In those submissive times his lordship reduced the 
greatest perquisite of his place to a certainty, which before 
that was only gratuitous ; that is, instead of the masters of 
ships making presents of liquors or provisions towards the 
governor's house keeping, as they were wont to do, he de- 
manded a certain sum of money, remitting that custom. 
This rate has ever since been demanded of all commanders 
as a duty ; and is twenty shillings for each ship or vessel, 
under an hundred tons, and thirty shillings for each ship 
upwards of that burden, to be paid every voyage, or port 
clearing. 

§121. This noble lord seemed to lament the unhappy 
state of the country in relation to their coin. He was ten- 
derly concerned that all their cash should be drained away 
by the neighboring colonies, which had not set so low an 
estimate upon it as Virginia ; and therefore he proposed the 
raising of it. 

This was what the country had formerly desired, and the 
assembly was about making a law for it : but his lordship 
stopped them, alledging it was the king's prerogative, by vir- 
tue of which he would do it by proclamation. This they 
did not approve of, well knowing, if that were the case, his 
lordship and every other governor would at any time have 
the same prerogative of altering it, and so people should 
never be at any certainty ; as they quickly after found from 
his own practice. For his drift was only to make advan- 
tage of paying the soldiers ; money for that purpose being 
put into his lordship's hands, he provided light pieces of 
eight, which he with this view had bought at a cheap rate. 
10 



TOBACCO PLANTS DESTROYED. 

When this contrivance was ripe for execution, he extended 
the royal prerogative, and issued forth a proclamation for 
raising the value of pieces of eight from five to six shil- 
lings ; and as soon as they were admitted current at that 
value, he produced an order for paying and disbanding the 
soldiers. Then those poor fellows, and such as had main- 
tained them, were forced to take their pay in those light 
pieces of eight, at six shillings. But his lordship soon after 
himself found the inconvenience of that proclamation ; for 
people began to pay their duties, and their ship money in 
coin of that high estimate, which was like to cut short both 
his lordship's perquisites ; and so he was forced to make use 
of the same prerogative, to reduce the money again to its 
former standard. 

§ 122. In less than a year the Lord Colepepper returned 
to England, leaving Sir Henry Chicheley deputy governor. 
• The country being then settled again, made too much to- 
bacco, or too much trash tobacco, for the market ; and the 
merchants would hardly allow the planter any thing for it. 

This occasioned much uneasiness again, and the people, 
from former experience, despairing of succeeding in any 
agreement with the neighboring governments, resolved a total 
destruction of the tobacco in that country, especially of the 
sweet scented ; because that was planted no where else. In 
pursuance of which design, they contrived that all the plants 
should be destroyed, while they were yet in the beds, and 
after it was too late to sow more. 

Accordingly the ringleaders in this project began with 
their own first, and then went to cut up the plants of such 
of their neighbors as were not willing to do it themselves 
However, they had not resolution enough to go through 
with their work. 

This was adjudged sedition and felony. Several people 
were committed upon it, and some condemned to be hanged. 
And aft.erw.aids the assembly passed a law to make such 
proceedings felony for the future, (whatever it was before,) 
provided the company kept together after warning by a 
justice. 



QUARREL OF THE COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY. / O 

. ♦ 

§123. After this accident of plant cutting, the Lord Cole- 
pepper returned, and held his second assembly, in which he 
com rived to gain another great advantage over the country. 
His lordship, in his first voyage thither, perceiving how 
easily he could twist and manage the people, conceived new 
hopes of retrieving the propriety of the Northern Neck, as 
being so small a part of the colony. He conceived that 
while the remainder escaped free, which was far the greater 
part, they would not engage in the interest of the lesser 
number ; especially considering the discouragements they had 
met with before, in their former solicitation : though all this 
while, and for many years afterwards, his lordship did not 
pretend to lay public claim to any part of the propriety. 

It did not square with this project that appeals should be 
made to the general assembly, as till then had been the cus- 
tom. He feared the burgesses would be too much in the 
interest of their countrymen, and adjudge the inhabitants of 
the Northern Neck to have an equal liberty and privilege in 
their estates with the rest of Virginia, as being settled upon 
the same foot. In order therefore to make a better penny- 
worth of those poor people, he studied to overturn this odi- 
ous method of appealing to the assembly, and to fix the 
last resort in another court. 

To bring this point about, his lordship contrived to blow 
up a difference in the assembly between the council and 
the burgesses, privately encouraging the burgesses to insist 
upon the privilege of determining all appeals by themselves, 
exclusive of the council ; because they, having given their 
opinions before in the general court, were, for that reason, 
unfit judges in appeals from themselves to the assembly. 
This succeeded according to his wish, and the burgesses bit 
at ihe bait, under the notion of privilege, never dreaming 
of the snake that lay in the grass, nor considering the dan- 
ger of altering an old constitution so abruptly. Thus my 
lord gained his end ; for he represented that quarrel with so 
many aggravations, that he gut an instruction from the king 
to take away all appeals from the general couit to the as- 



76 



NORTHERN NECK DIFFICULTIES. 



sembly, and cause them to be made to himself in council, 
if the thing in demand was of ^300 value, otherwise no 
appeal from the general court. 

§ 124. Of this his lordship made sufficient advantage ; for 
in the confusion that happened in the end of king James 
the Second's reign, viz., in October 1688, he having got 
an assignment from the other patentees, gained a favorable 
report from the king's council at law upon his patent for 
the Northern Neck. 

When he had succeeded in this, his lordship's next step 
was to engage some noted inhabitant of the place to be on 
his side. Accordingly he made use of his cousin Secretary 
Spencer, who lived in the said Neck, and was esteemed as 
wise and great a man as any of the council. This gentle- 
man did but little in his lordship's service, and only gained 
some few strays, that used to be claimed by the coroner, in 
behalf of the king. 

Upon the death of Mr. Secretary Spencer, he engaged 
another noted gentleman, an old stander in that country, 
though not of the Northern Neck, Col. Philip Ludwell, 
who was then in England. He went over with this grant 
in the year 1690, and set up an office in the Neck, claim- 
ing *some escheats ; but he likewise could make nothing of 
it. After him Col. George Brent and Col. William Fitz- 
Hugh, that were noted lawyers and inhabitants of the said 
Neck, were employed in that affair : but succeeded no better 
than their predecessors. The people, in the mean while, 
complained frequently to their assemblies, who at last made 
another address to the king ; but there being no agent in 
England to prosecute it, that likewise miscarried. At last 
Colonel Richard Lee, one of the council, a man of note 
and inhabitant of the Northern Neck, privately made a com- 
position with the proprietors themselves for his own land. 
This broke the ice, and several were induced to follow so 
great an example ; so that by degrees, they were generally 
brought to pay their quit-rents into the hands of the proprie- 
tors' agents. And now at last it is managed for (hem by 



LOK)> HOWARD, GOVERNOR. 77 

Col. Robert Carter, another of the council, and the greatest 
freeholder in that proprietary. 

§125. To return to my Lord Colepepper's government, I 
cannot omit a useful thing which his loidship was pleased 
to do, with relation to their courts of justice. It seems, 
nicety of pleading, with all the juggle of Westminster Hall, 
was creeping into their courts. The clerks began in some 
cases to enter the reasons with the judgments, pretending to 
set precedents of inviolable form to be observed in all future 
proceedings. This my lord found fault with, and retrenched 
all dilatory pleas, as prejudicial to justice, keeping the 
courts close to the merits of the cause, in order to bring it 
to a speedy determination, according to the innocence of for- 
mer times, and caused the judgments to be entered up 
short, without the reason, alledging that their couris were 
not of so great experience as to be able to make precedents 
to posterity ; who ought to be left at liberty to determine, 
according to the equity of the controversy before them. 

§126. In his time alfo were dismantled the forts built by 
Sir Henry Chicheley at the heads of the rivers, and the 
forces there were disbanded, as being too great a charge. 
The assembly appointed small parties of light horse in their 
stead, to range by turns upon the frontiers. These being 
chosen out of the neighboring inhabitants, might afford to 
serve at easier rates, and yet do the business more effectu- 
ally ; they were raised under the title or name of rangers. 

§ 127. After this the Lord Colepepper returned again for 
England, his second stay not being much longer than the 
first ; and Sir Henry Chicheley being dead, he proclaimed 
his kinsman, Mr. Secretary Spencer, president, though he 
was not the eldest member of the council. 

§ 128. The next year, being 1684, upon the Lord Cole- 
pepper's refusing to return, Francis, Lord Howard of Effing- 
ham, was sent over governor. In order to increase his per- 
quisites, he imposed the charge of an annual under seal of 
twenty shillings each for school masters ; five pounds for law- 
yers at the general court, and fifty shillings each lawyer at 



78 DUTY ON LIQUORS. 

the county courts. He also extorted an excessive fee for 
putting the seal to all probates of wills, and letters of ad- 
ministration, even where the estates of the deceased were 
of the meanest value. Neither could any be favored with 
such administration, or probate, without paying that extor- 
tion. If any body presumed to remonstrate against it, his 
lordship's behavior towards that man was very severe. He 
kept several persons in prison and under confinement, from 
court to court, without bringing them to trial. Which pro- 
ceedings, and many others, were so oppressive, that com- 
plaints were made thereof to the king, and Colonel Philip 
Ludwell was appointed agent to appear against him in 
England. Whereupon the seal-money was taken off. 

§ 129. During the first session of assembly in this noble 
lord's time, the duty on liquors imported from the other 
English plantations, was first imposed. It was then laid, 
on pretence of lessening the levy by the poll, for payment 
of public taxes ; but more especially for rebuilding the State 
house, which had not been rebuilt since Laurence burnt it 
in Bacon's time. 

This duty was at first laid on wine and rum only, at 
the rate of thiee pence per gallon, with an exemption of 
all such as should be imported in the ships of Virginia 
owners. But the like duty has since been laid on other 
liquors also, and is raised to four pence per gallon on wine 
and rum, and one penny per gallon on beer, cider, lime- 
juice, &c; and the privilege of Virginia owners taken 
away, to the great discouragement of their shipping and 
home trade. 

§ 130. This lord, though he pretended to no great skill 
in legal proceedings, yet he made great innovations in their 
courts, . pretending to follow the English forms. Thus he 
created a new court of chancery distinct from the general 
court, who had ever before claimed that jurisdiction. He 
erected himself into a lord chancellor, taking the gentlemen 
of the council to sit with him as mere associates and ad- 
visers, not having any vote in the causes before them. And 



PROJECT FOR A COLLEGE. 79 

that it might have more the air of a new court, lie would 
not so much as sit in the State house, where all the 
other public business was dispatched, but look the dining- 
room of a large house for that use. He likewise made 
arbitrary tables of fees, peculiar to this high court. How- 
ever, his lordship not beginning this project very long before 
he left the country, all these innovations came to an end 
upon his removal, and the jurisdiction returned to the gen- 
eral court again, in the time of Colonel Nathaniel Bacon, 
whom he left president. 

§131. During that gentleman's presidency, which began 
Anno 16S9, the project of a college was first agreed upon 
The contrivers drew up their scheme, and presented it to 
the president and council. This was by them approved, and 
referred to the next assembly. But Colonel Bacon's admin- 
istration being very short, and no assembly called all the 
while, this pious design could proceed no farther. 

§ 132. Anno 1690, Francis Nicholson, esq., being ap- 
pointed lieutenant governor under the Lord Effingham, 
arrived there. This gentleman discoursed freely of country 
improvements, instituted publio exercises, and gave prizes to 
all those that should excel in the exercises of riding, run- 
ning, shooting, wrestling, and cudgeling. When the design 
of a college was communicated to him, he promised it all 
imaginable encouragement. The first thing desired of him 
in its behalf, was the calling of an assembly, but this he 
could by no means agree to, being under obligations to the 
Lord Effingham to stave off assemblies as long he could, 
for fear there might be farther representations sent over 
against his lordship, who was conscious to himself how un- 
easy the country had been under his despotic administration. 

§ 133. When that could not be obtained, then they pro- 
posed that a subscription might pass through the colony, 
to try the humor of the people in general, and see what 
voluntary contributions they could get towards it. This he 
granted, and he himself, together with the council, set a 
generous example to tlie other gentlemen of the country, 



80 CHARTER GRANTED FOR THE COLLEGE. 

so that the subscriptions at last amounted to about two 
thousand five hundred pounds, in which sum is included 
the generous benevolences of several merchants of London. 

§ 134. Anno 1691, an assembly being called, this design 
was moved to them, and they espoused it heartily ; and 
soon after made an address to king William and queen 
Mary in its behalf, and sent the Rev. Mr. James Blair 
their agent to England to solicit their majesties charter 
for it. 

It was proposed that three things should be taught in 
this college, viz., languages, divinity, and natural phil- 
osophy. 

The assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that 
time, that they presented him with the sum of three hun- 
dred pounds, as a testimony of their good disposition towards 
him. But he having an instruction to receive no present 
from the country, they drew up an address to their majes- 
ties, praying that he might have leave to accept it, which 
was granted, and he gave one half thereof to the college. 

§ 135. Their majesties were well pleased with that pious 
design of the plantation, and granted a charter, according 
to the desire of Mr. Blair their agent. 

Their majesties were graciously pleased to give near two 
thousand pounds sterling, the balance then due upon the 
account of quit-rents, towards the founding the college ; 
and towards the endowing of it, they allowed twenty thou- 
sand acres of choice land, together with the revenue arising 
by the penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia 
and Maryland to the other plantations. 

It was a great satisfaction to the archbishops and bishops, 
to see such a nursery of religion founded in that new 
world, especially for that it was begun in an episcopal 
way, and carried on wholly by zealous conformists to the 
Church of England. 

§136. In this first assembly, Lieutenant Governor Nich- 
olson passed acts for encouragement of the linen manufac- 



SIR EDMUND ANDROS, GOVERNOR. s l 

turo, and to promote the leather trade by tanning, currying, 
and shoe making. He also in that session passed a law 
for cohabitation, and improvement of trade. 

Before the next assembly he tacked about, and was quite 
the reverse of what he was in the first, as to cohabitation. 
Instead of encouraging ports and towns, he spread abroad 
his dislike of them; 'and went among the people finding 
fault with those things which he and the assembly had unan- 
imously agreed upon the preceding session. Such a violent 
change there was in him, that it proceeded from some other 
cause than barely the inconstancy of his temper. He had 
leceived directions from those English merchants, who well 
knew that cohabitation would lessen their consigned trade. 

§ 137. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived 
governor. He began his government with an assembly, 
which overthrew the good design of ports and towns ; but 
the groundwork of this proceeding was laid before Sir Ed- 
mund's arrival. However this assembly proceeded no far- 
ther than to suspend the law till their majesties' pleasure 
should be known. But it seems the merchants in London 
were dissatisfied, and made public complaints against it, 
which their majesties were pleased to hear ; and afterwards 
referred the law back to the assembly again, to consider 
if it were suitable to the circumstances of the country, and 
to regulate it accordingly. But the assembly did not then 
proceed any farther in it, the people themselves being in- 
fected by the merchants' letters. 

^ 133. At this session Mr. Neal's project for a post-oflice, 
and his patent of post-master-general in those parts of 
America, were presented. The assembly made an act to 
promote that design ; but by reason of the inconvenient 
distance of Lbeii habitations, and want of towns, this project 
fell to nothing. 

§ 13 ( J. With Sir Edmund Andros, was sent over the col- 
lege chatter ; and the subsequent assembly declared, that 
the subscriptions which had been made to the college were 
due, and immediately demandable. They likewise gave a 
11 



82 ENCOURAGEMENT OF MANUFACTURES. 

duty on the exportation of skins and furs, for its more plen- 
tiful endowment, arid the foundation of the college was 
laid. 

The subscription money did not come in with the same 
readiness with which it had been underwritten. However 
there was enough given by their majesties, and gathered 
from the people, to keep all hands at work and curry on 
the building, the foundation whereof they then laid ; and 
the rest, upon suit, had judgment given against them. 

§140. Sir Edmund Andros was a great encourager of 
manufactures. In his time fulling-mills were set up by act 
of assembly. He also gave particular marks of his favor 
towards the propagating of cotton, which since his time has 
been much neglected. He was likewise a great lover of 
method and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made 
him find fault with the management of the secretary's office. 
And, indeed, with very good reason ; for from the time of 
Bacon's rebellion till then, there never was any office in 
the world more negligently kept. Several patents of land 
were entered blank upon record ; many original patents, re- 
cords and deeds of land, with other matters of great conse- 
quence, were thrown loose about the office, and suffered to 
be dirtied, torn, and eaten by the moths and other insects. 
But upon this gentleman's accession to the government, he 
immediately gave directions to reform all these irregularities ; 
he caused the loose and torn records of value to be tran- 
scribed into new books, and ordered conveniences to be built 
within the office for preserving the records from being lost 
and confounded as before. He prescribed methods to keep 
the papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such or- 
der, as that any thing might be turned to immediately. 
But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were 
finished, in October 1698, together with the office itself, and 
the whole State House. But his diligence was so great in 
that affair, that though his stay afterward in the country 
was very short, yet he caused all the records and papers 
which had been saved from the fire to be sorted again and 



FRANCI3 NICHOLSON, GOVERNOR. 83 

registered in ordei, and indeed in much better order than 
ever they had been before. In this condition he left them 
at his quitting the government. 

He made several offers to rebuild the State House in the 
same place ; and had his government continued but six 
months longer, 'tis probable he would have effected it after 
such a manner as might have been least burthensome to the 
people, designing the greatest part at his own cost. 

§141. Sir Edmund Andros being upon a progress one 
summer, called at a poor man's bouse in Stafford county for 
water. There came out to him an ancient woman, and 
with her a lively brisk lad about twelve years old. The 
lad was so ruddy and fair that his complexion gave the go- 
vernor a curiosity to ask some questions concerning him ; 
and to his great surprise was told that he was the son of 
that woman at 76 years of age. His excellency, smiling at 
this improbability, enquired what sort of man had been his 
father? To' this the good woman made no reply, but in- 
stantly ian and led her husband to the door, who was then 
above 100 years old. He confirmed all that the woman 
had said about the lad, and, notwithstanding his £ieat age, 
was strong in his limbs and voice ; but had lost his sight. 
The woman for her part was without complaint, and 
seemed to retain a vigor very uncommon at her years. Sir 
Edmund was so well pleased with this extraordinary ac- 
count, that, after having made himself known to them, he 
offered to take care of the lad ; but they would by n<> 
means be persuaded to part with him. However, he gave 
them 20 pounds. 

§142. In November 1698, Francis Nicholson, Esq., was 
removed from Maryland, to be governor of Virginia. But 
In' went not then with that smoothness on his brow he had 
rallied with him when he was appointed lieutenant-governor. 
He talked then no more of improving of manufactures, 
towns and trade. But instead of encouraging the manufac- 
tures, he sent over inhuman memorials against them, oppo- 
site to all reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, " thai 



84 WILLIAMSBURG COMMENCED, 1699. 

the tobacco of that country often bears so low a price, that 
it would not yield clothes to the people that make it;" and 
yet presently after, in the same memorial, he recommends it 
to the parliament " to pass an act, forbiding the plantations 
to make their own clothing ;" which, in other words, is de- 
siring a charitable law, that the planters shall go naked. 
In a late memorial concerted between him and his creature 
Col. Q,uarrey, 'tis most humbly proposed, " that all the 
English colonies on the continent of North America be re- 
duced under one government, and under one Viceroy ; and 
that a standing army be there kept on foot to subdue the 
queen's enemies;" surmising that they were intending to set 
up for themselves. 

§ 143. He began his government with a shew of zeal for 
the church. In the latter end of his time, one half of the 
intended building, that is two sides of the square, was car- 
ried up and finished, in which were allotted the public hall, 
the apartments and conveniences for several masters and 
scholars, and the public offices for the domestics : the mas- 
ters and scholars were also settled in it, and it had its reg- 
ular visitations from the visitors and governors thereof. 

§ 144. Soon after his accession to the government, he pro- 
cured the assembly and courts of judicature to be removed 
from Jamestown, where there were good accommodations 
for people, to Middle Plantation, where there were none. 
There he flattered himself with the fond imagination of be- 
ing the founder of a new city. He marked out the streets 
in many places so as that they might represent the figure of 
a W, in memory of his late majesty King William, after 
whose name the town was called Williamsburg. There he 
procured a stately fabric to be erected, which he placed 
opposite to the college, and graced it with the magnificent 
name of the capitol. 

§ 145 In the second year of this gentleman's govern- 
ment, there happened an adventure very fortunate for him, 
which gave him much credit, and that was the taking of a 
pirate within the capes of that country. 

It fell out that several merchant ships were got ready, 



FIRST PIRATE TAKEN. S5 

and fallen down to Lynhaven bay, near the niouili of 
James river, in order for sailing. A pirate being- informed 
of this, and hearing that there was no man of war there, 
except a sixth rate, ventured within the capes, and took 
several of the merchant ships. But a small vessel happened 
to come down the bay, and seeing an engagement between 
the pirate and a merchantman, made a shift to get into the 
mouth of James river, where the Shoram, a fifth rate man 
of war, was newly arrived. The sixth rate, commanded by 
Capt. John Aldred, was then on the careen in Elizabeth 
river, in order for her return to England. 

The governor happened to be at that time at Kiquotan, 
sealing up his letters, and Capt. Passenger, commander of 
the Shoram, was ashore, to pay his respects to him. In 
the meanwhile news was brought that a pirate was within 
the capes ; upon which the captain was in haste to go 
aboard his ship ; but the governor stayed him a little, prom- 
ising to go along with him. The captain soon after asked 
his excuse, and went off, leaving him another boat, if he 
pleased to follow. It was about one o'clock in the after- 
noon when the news was brought ; but 'twas within night 
before his excellency went aboard, staying all that while 
ashore upon some weighty occasions. At last he followed, 
and by break of day the man of war was fairly out be- 
tween the capes and the pirate ; where, after ten hours 
sharp engagement, the pirate was obliged to strike and sur- 
render upon the terms of being left to the king's mercy. 

Now it happened that three men of this pirate's gang 
were not on board their own ship at the lime of the surren- 
der, and so were not included in the articles of capitulation, 
but were tried in that country. In summing up the charge 
against them (the governor being present) the attorney- 
general extolled his excellency's mighty courage and con- 
duct, as if the honor of laking the pirate had been due to 
him. Upon this, Capt. Passenger look the freedom (o in- 
terrupt Mi. Attorney in open court, and said that he was 
commander of the Shoram ; that the pirates were his prison- 



SO GOVERNOR NICHOLSON 'S VANITY. 

ers ; and that no body had pretended to command in that 
engagement but himself: he farther desired that the gover- 
nor, who was then present, would do him the justice to 
confess whether he had given the least word of command 
all that day, or directed any one thing during the whole 
fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true ; and 
fairly yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain. 

§ 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by 
another instance of his management, whereby he let the 
world know the violent passion he had to publish his own 
fame. 

To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommen- 
ded to the court of England the necessity that Virginia 
should contribute a certain quota of men, or else a sum of 
money, towards the building and maintaining a fort at New 
York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New 
York was their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they 
should help to defend it. This was by order of his late 
majesty King William proposed to the assembly ; but upon 
the most solid reasons they humbly remonstrated, " that 
neither the forts then in being, nor any other that might be 
built in the province of New York, could in the least avail 
to the defence and security of Virginia ; for that either the 
French or the northern Indians might invade that colony, 
and not come within an hundred miles of any such fort." 
The truth of these objections are obvious to any one that 
ever looked on the maps of that part of the world. But 
the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this : 
Those foils were necessary for New York, to enable that 
province to engross the trade of the neighbor Indians, which 
Virginia had sometimes shared in, when the Indians ram- 
bled to the southward. 

Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this : 
after he had represented Virginia as republican and rebel- 
lious for not complying with his proposal, he said publicly 
that New York should not want the 900 pounds, though 



NICHOLSON AND dUARRY. 



87 



he paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after touk a 
journey to that province. 

When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, 
but pretending earnest desires to serve New York, gave his 
own bills of exchange for 900 pounds to the aforesaid use, 
but prudently took a defeasance from the gentleman to 
whom they were given, specifying. " that till her majesty 
should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of 
the quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made 
use of." This was an admirable piece of sham generosity, 
and worthy of the great pains he took to proclaim it. I 
myself have frequently heard him boast that he gave this 
money out of his own pocket, and only depended on the 
queen's bounty to repay him : though the money is not 
paid by him to this day. 

§ 147. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this tin 
truth there ; but he also foisted it into a memorial of Col. 
Quarry's to the council of trade, in which are these words : 
"As soon as Governor Nicholson found the assembly of Vir- 
ginia would not see their own interest, nor comply with 
her majesty's orders, he went immediately to New York ; 
and out of his great zeal to the queen's service, and the 
security of her province, he gave his own bills for 900 
pounds to answer the quota of Virginia, wholly depending 
on her majesty's favor to reimburse him out of the reve- 
nues in that province. 

Certainly his excellency and Colonel Quarry, by whose 
joint wisdom and sincerity this memorial was composed, 
must believe that the council of trade have very imperfect 
intelligence how matters pass in that part of the world, or 
else they would not presume to impose such a banter upon 
them." 

But this is nothing, if # compared with some other pas- 
sages of that unjust representation, wherein they took upon 
them to desciibe the people of " Virginia to be both numer- 
ous and rich, of republican notions and principles such as 
ought to be corrected and lowered in time ; and that then. 



88 SLAVES MADE REAL ESTATE. 

or never, was the time to maintain the queen's prerogatives, 
and put a stop to those wrong, pernicious notions which 
were improving daily, not only in Virginia but in all her 
majesty's other governments. A frown now from her ma- 
jesty will do more than an army hereafter," &c. 

With those inhuman, false imputations, did those gen- 
tlemen afterwards introduce the necessity of a standing 
army. 

§148. Thus did this gentleman continue to rule till 
August 1705, when Edward Nott, esq., arrived governor, 
and gave ease to the country by a mild rule. His commis- 
sion was to be governor-general, but part of his salary was 
paid my Lord Orkney as chief. Governor Nott had the gen- 
eral commission given him, because it was suggested that 
that method, viz : the supreme title, would give the greater 
awe, and the better put the country to rights. 

§ 149. Governor Nott called an assembly the fall after 
his arrival, who passed the general revisal of the laws, 
which had been too long in hand. But that part of it 
which related to the church and clergy Mr. Commissary 
could not be pleased in ; wherefore lhat bill was dropt, 
and so it lies at this day. 

§ 150. This assembly also passed a new law for ports 
and towns, grounding it only upon encouragements, accord- 
ing to her majesty's letter to that purpose. But^it seems 
this also could not please the Virginia merchants in Eng- 
land, for they complained against it to the crown, and so 
it was also suspended. 

§151. This assembly also passed the law making slaves 
a real estate, which made a great alteration in the nature 
of their estates, and becomes a very good security for 
orphans whose parents happened to die intestate. 

§ 152. This assembly also voted a house to be built for 
ihe governor's residence, and laid duties to raise the money 
for it. But his excellency lived not to see much effected 
therein, being taken off by death in August 1706. In the 



LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD. 89 

first year of his government the college was burnt down to 
the ground. 

§ 153. After this governor's death, their being no other 
nominated by her majesty to succeed him, the government 
fell into the hands of Edmund Jenings, Esq., (he presi- 
dent, and the council, who held no assembly during his 
time, neither did anything of note happen here. Only we 
heard that Brigadier Robert Hunter received commission to 
be lieutenant-governor under George, Earl of Orkney, the 
chief, and set out for Virginia, but was taken prisoner into 
France. 

§ 154. During Brigadier Hunter's confinement in France, 
a new commission issued to Colonel Alexander Spotswood 
to be lieutenant-governor, who arrived here in Anno 1710. 
He, to the extraordinary benefit of this country, still con- 
tinues governor, having improved it beyond imagination. 
His conduct has produced wonders. But it would not be- 
come me to affront his modesty by publishing those innumer- 
able benefits of his administration to his face ; therefore I 
shall leave them to adorn the brighter history of some abler 
penman. 



12 



BOOK II. 



OF THE NATURAL PRODUCT AND CONVENIENCES OF 
VIRGINIA IN ITS UNIMPROVED STATE, BE- 
FORE THE ENGLISH WENT THITHER. 



CHAPTEE I. 



OF THE BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA. 

§1. Virginia, as you have heard before, was a name at 
first given to all the northern part of the continent of Amer- 
ica ; and when the original grant was made, both to the 
first and second colonies, that is, to those of Virginia and 
New England, they were both granted under the name of 
Virginia. And afterwards, when grants for other new col- 
onies were made by particular names, those names for a 
long time served only to distinguish them as so many parts 
of Virginia ; and until the plantations became more familiar 
to England, it was so continued. But in process of time, 
the name of Virginia was lost to all except to that tract of 
land lying along the bay of Chesapeake, and a little to the 
southward, in which are included Virginia and Maryland ; 
both which, in common discourse, are still very often meant 
by the name of Virginia 

The least extent of bounds in any of the grants made 
to Virginia, since it was settled, and which we find upon 
record there, is two hundred miles north from Point Com- 
fort, and two hundred miles south, winding upon the sea 



BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA. 91 

coast to the eastward, and including all the land west and 
northwest, from sea to sea, with the islands on both seas, 
within an hundred miles of the main. But these extents, 
both on the north and south, have been since abridged by 
the proprietary grants of Maryland on the north, and Ca- 
rolina on the south. 

§ 2 The entrance into Virginia for shipping is by the 
mouth of Chesapeake bay, which is indeed more like a 
river than a bay j for it runs up into the land about two 
hundred miles, being everywhere near as wide as it is at 
the mouth, and in many places much wider. The mouth 
thereof is about seven leagues over, through which all ships 
pass to go to Maryland. 

The coast is a bold and even coast, with regular sound- 
ings, and is open all the year round ; so that, having the 
latitude, which also can hardly be wanted upon a coast 
where so much clear weather is, any ship may go in by 
soundings alone, by day or night, in summer or in win- 
ter, and need not fear any disaster, if the mariners under- 
stand anything ; for, let the wind blow how it will, and 
chop about as suddenly as it pleases, any master, though 
his ship be never so dull, has opportunity, (by the 
evenness of the coast,) either of standing off and clearing 
the shore, or else of running into safe harbor within the 
capes. A bolder and safer coast is not known in the uni- 
verse ; to which conveniencies, there is the addition of good 
anchorage all along upon it, without the capes. 

^3. Virginia, in the most restrained sense, distinct from 
.Maryland, is the spot to which I shall altogether confine 
this description ; though you may consider, at the. same 
time, that there cannot be much difference between this 
and Maryland, they being contiguous one to the other, ly- 
ing in the same bay, producing the same sort of commo- 
dities, and being fallen into the same unhappy form of set- 
tlements, altogether upon country seats, without towns. Vir- 
ginia, thus considered, is bounded on the south by North 
Carolina, on the north by Potomac river, which divides it 



BOUNDS ANP COAST OF VIRGINIA. 

from Maryland, on the east by the main ocean, called the 

Virginia seas, and 00 the weal and northwest by the Cali- 

fornlao sea. whenever the settlements shall be extended so 
tar, or now by the river Mississippi. 

This part o( Virginia, now inhabited, it' we consider the 
improvements in the hands of the English, it cannot upon 
that score be commended ; but if we consider its natural 
aptitude to be improved, it may with justice be accounted 
one of the finest countries in the world. Most of the na- 
tural advantages of it. therefore. I shall endeavor to disco- 
ver, and set in their true light, together with its inconve- 
niences, and afterwards proceed to the improvements. 



C B AFTER II. 



OF THE WATERS. 

§ 4. The largeness of the bay of Chesapeake, I have 
mentioned already. From one end of it to the other, there 
is good anchorage, and so little danger of a wreck, that 
many masters, who have never been there before, venture 
up to the head of the bay, upon the slender knowledge of 
a common sailor. But the experience of one voyage teaches 
any master to go up afterwaids without a pilot. 

Besides this bay, the country is watered with four great 
rivers, viz : James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac ri- 
vers, all which are full of convenient and safe harbors. 
There are also abundance of lesser rivers, many of which 
are capable of receiving the biggest merchant ships, viz : 
Elizabeth river, Nansemond, Chickahominy, Pocosou, Pa- 
munkey, Mattapony, (which two last are the two upper 
branches of York river,) North river, Eastermost river, Co- 
rotoman, Wiccocomoco, Pocomoke, Chissenessick, Pungo- 
tegue, and many others. But because they are so well de- 
scribed in the large maps of Virginia, I shall forbear any 
farther description of them. 

These rivers are of such convenience, that for almost 
every half dozen miles of their extent , there is a commo- 
dious and safe road for a whole fleet, which gives oppor- 
tunity to the masters of ships to lie up and down strag- 
gling, according as they have made their acquaintance, rid- 
ing before that gentleman's door where they find the best 
reception, or where 'tis most suitable to their business. 

§5. These rivers are made up by the conflux of an in- 
finite number of crystal springs of cool ami pleasant water, 



94 OF THE WATERS. 

issuing everywhere out of the banks and sides of the val- 
leys. These springs flow so plentifully, that they make 
the iiver water fresh fifty, threescore, and sometimes a hun- 
dred miles below the flux and reflux of the tides, and some- 
times within thirty or forty miles of the bay itself. The 
conveniences of these springs are so many, they are not to 
be numbered. I shall therefore content myself to mention 
that one of supplying the country elsewhere, except in the 
lowlands, with as many mills as they can find work for ; 
and some of these send forth such a glut of water, that in 
less than a mile below the fountain head, they afford a 
stream sufficient to supply a grist mill, of which there are 
several instances. 

§ 6. The only mischief I know belonging to these rivers 
is, that in the month of June annually, there rise up in the 
salts, vast beds of seedling-worms, which enter the ships, 
sloops or boats wherever they find the coat of pitch, tar, or 
lime worn off the timber, and by degrees eat the plank into 
cells like those of a honey-comb. These worms continue 
thus upon the surface of the water, from their rise in June 
until the first great rains after the middle of July, but after 
that do no fresh damage till the next summer season, and 
never penetrate farther than the plank or timber they first 
fix upon. 

The damage occasioned by these worms may be four se- 
veral ways avoided. 

1. By keeping the coat (of pitch, lime and tallow, or 
whatever else it is) whole upon the bottom of the ship or 
vessel, for these worms never fasten nor enter, but where 
the timber is naked. 

2. By anchoring the large vessel in the strength of the 
tide, during the worm season, and hauling the smaller 
ashore ; for in the current of a strong tide, the worm can- 
not fasten. 

3. By burning and cleaning immediately after the worm 
season is over ; for then they are but just stuck into the 
plank, and have not buried themselves in it ; so that the 



OF THE WATERS. 95 

least fire in the world destroys them entirely, and prevents 
all damage that would otherwise ensue from them. 

4. By running up into the freshes with the ship or ves- 
sel during the five or six weeks that the worm is thus 
above water ; for they never enter, nor do any damage in 
fresh water, or where it is not very salt. 



CHAPTER III. 



OP THE EARTH AND SOILS. 

§ 7. The soil is of such variety, according to the* differ- 
ence of situation, that one part or other of it seems fitted 
to every sort of plant that is requisite either for the be- 
nefit or pleasure of mankind. And were it not for the high 
mountains to the northwest, which are supposed to retain 
vast magazines of snow, and by that means cause the 
wind from that quarter to descend a little too cold upon 
them, 'tis believed that many of those delicious summer 
fruits, growing in the hotter climates, might be kept there 
green all the winter without the charge of housing, or any 
other care, than what is due to the natural plants of the 
country, when transplanted into a garden. But as that 
would be no considerable charge, any man that is curious 
might, with all the ease imaginable, preserve as many of 
them as would gratify a moderate luxury ; and the sum- 
mer affords genial heat enough to ripen them to perfec- 
tion. 

There are three different kinds of land, according to the 
difference^of situation, either in the lower parts of the coun- 
try, the middle, or that on the heads of the rivers. 

I. The land towards the mouth of the rivers is gene- 
rally of a low, moist, and fat mould, such as the heavier 
sort of grain delight in : as rice, hemp, Indian corn, &c. 
This also is varied here and there with veins of a cold, 
hungry, sandy soil, of the same moisture, and very often 
lying under water. But this also has its advantages ; for on 
such land generally grow the huckleberries, cranberries, 
chinkapins, &c. These low lands are, for the most part, 



OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. 97 

well stored with oaks, poplars, pines, cedars, cypress and 
sweet gums ; the trunks of which aie often thirty, forty, 
fifty, some sixty or seventy feet high, without a branch or 
limb. They likewise produce great variety of evergreens, 
unknown to me by name, besides the beauteous holly, 
sweet myrtle, cedar, and the live oak, which for three 
quarters of the year is continually dropping its acorns, and 
at the same lime budding and bearing others in their stead. 

2. The land higher up the rivers, throughout the whole 
country, is generally a level ground , with shallow valleys, 
full of streams and pleasant springs of clear water, having 
inteispersed here and there among the large levels some 
small hills and extensive vales. The mould in some places 
is black, fat, and thick laid ; in others looser, lighter and 
thin. The foundation of the mould is also various ; some- 
times clay, then gravel and rocky stones, and sometimes 
marl. The middle of the necks, or ridges between the 
rivers, is generally poor, being either a light sand, or a 
white or red clay, with a thin mould. Yet even these 
places are stored with chesnuts, chinkapins, acorns of the 
shrub oak, and a reedy grass in summer, very good for 
cattle. The rich lands lie next the rivers and branches, 
and are stored with large oak, walnut, hickory, ash, 
beech, poplar, and many other sorts of timber, of sur- 
prising bigness. 

3. The heads of the rivers afford a mixture of hills, 
valleys and plains, some richer than others, whereof the 
fruit and timber trees are also various. In some places 
lie great plats of low and very rich giound, well tim- 
bered ; in others, large spots of meadows and savannahs, 
wherein are hundreds of acres without any tree at all, 
but yields reeds and grass of incredible height ; and in 
the swamps and sunken grounds grow trees as vastly big 
as I believe the world affords, and stand so close together, 
that the branches or boughs of many of them lock into one 
another ; but what lessens their value is, that the greatest 
bulk of them are at some distance from water-carriage. 

13 



98 OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. 

The land of these upper parts affords greater variety of 
soil than any other, and as great variety in the founda- 
tions of the soil or mould, of which good judgment may 
be made by the plants and herbs that grow upon it. 
The rivers and creeks do in many places form very fine 
large marshes, which are a convenient support for their 
flocks and herds. 

§ 8. There is likewise found great variety of earths for 
physic, cleansing, scouring, and making all sorts of potter's 
ware ; such as antimony, talk, yellow and red oker, fuller's- 
earth, pipe-clay, and other fat and fine clays, marl, &c. ; 
in a word, there are all kinds of earth fit for use. 

They have besides, in those upper parts, coal for firing, 
slate for covering, and stones for building, and fiat paving 
in vast quantities, as likewise pebble stones. Nevertheless, 
it has been confidently affirmed by many, who have been 
in Virginia, that there is not a stone in all the country. 
If such travelers knew no better than they said, my judg- 
ment of them is, that either they were people of extreme 
short memories, or else of very narrow observation. For 
though generally the lower parts are flat, and so fiee from 
stones, that people seldom shoe their horses ; yet in many 
places, and particularly near the falls of the rivers, are 
found vast quantities of stone, fit for all kinds of uses. 
However, as yet, there is seldom any use made of them, 
because commonly wood is 10 be had at much less trouble ; 
and as for coals, it is not likely they should ever be used 
there in anything but forges and great towns, if ever they 
happen to have any, for, in their country plantations, the 
wood grows at every man's door so fast, that after it has 
been cut down, it will in seven years time grow up again from 
seed, to substantial fire- wood ; and in eighteen or twenty 
years it will come to be very good board timber. 

§ 9. For mineral earths, it is believed they have great 
plenty and variety, that country being in a good latitude, 
and having great appearances of them. It has been proved, 
too, that they have both iron and lead, as appears by 



OP THE EARTH AND SOILS. 99 

what was said before concerning the iron works set up at 
Falling creek in James river, where the iron proved reason- 
ably good ; but before they got into the body of the mine, 
the people were cut off in that fatal massacre, and the 
project has never been set on foot since, till of late ; but 
it has not had its^ full trial. 

The golden mine, of which there was once so much 
noise, may, perhaps, be found hereafter to be some good 
metal, when it comes to be fully examined. But be that 
as it will, the stones that are found near it, in great plenty, 
are valuable, their lustre approaching nearer to that of the 
diamond than those of Bristol cr Kerry. There is no other 
fault in them but theit softness, which the weather hard- 
ens, when they have been sometime exposed to it, they 
being found under the surface of the earth. This place 
has now plantations on it. 

; This I take to be the place in Purchase's fourth book of 
his pilgrim, called Uttamussack, where was formerly the 
principal temple of the country, and the metropolitan seat 
of the priests in Powhatau's time. There stood the three 
great houses, near sixty feet in length, which he reports to 
have been filled with the images of their gods ; there were 
likewise preserved the bodies of their kings. These houses 
they counted so holy, that none but their priests and kings 
durst go into them, the common people not presuming, 
without their particulai direction, to approach the place. 

There also was their great Pawcorance, or altar stone, 
which, the Indians *tell us, was a solid crystal, of between 
three and four feet cube, upon which, in their greatest so- 
lemnities, they used to sacrifice. This, they would make us 
believe, was so clear, that the grain of a man's skin might 
be seen through it ; and was so heavy too that when they 
removed their gods and kings, not being able to carry it 
away, they buried it thereabouts ; but the place has never 
been yet discovered. 

Mr. Alexander Whillakei, minister of Henrico, on James 
river, in the company's time, writing to them, says thus : 



L 



100 OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. 

" Twelve miles from the falls there is a crystal rock, 
wherewith the Indians do head many of their arrows ;• and 
three days journey from thence, there is a rock and stony 
hill found, which is on the top covered over with a perfect 
and most rich silver ore. Our men that went to discover 
those parts had but two iron pickaxes with them, and those 
so ill tempered that the points of them turned again, and 
bowed at every stroke, so that we could not search the en- 
trails of the place ; yet some trial was made of that ore 
with good success." 

§ 10. Some people that have been in that country, with- 
out knowing any thing of it, have affirmed that it is all a 
flat, without any mixture of hills, because they see the 
coast to seaward perfectly level : or else they have made 
their judgment of the whole country by the lands lying on 
the lower parts of the rivers, (which, perhaps, they had 
never been beyond,) and so conclude it to be throughout 
plain and even. When in truth, upon the heads of the 
great rivers, there are vast high hills ; and even among the 
settlements there are some so topping that I have stood 
upon them and viewed the country all round over the tops 
of the highest trees for many leagues together ; particularly, 
there are Mawborn hills in the freshes of James river ; a 
ridge of hills about fourteen or fifteen miles up Mattapony 
river ; Toliver's mount, upon Rappahannock river ; and the 
ridge of hills in Stafford county, in the freshes of Potomac 
river ; all which are within the bounds of the English in- 
habitants. But a little farther backward, there are moun- 
tains, which indeed deserve the name of mountains for their 
height and bigness ; which by their difficulty in passing may 
easily be made a good barrier of the country against incur- 
sions of the Indians, &c, and shew themselves over the 
tops of the trees to many plantations at 70 or 80 miles dis- 
tance very plain. 

These hills are not without their advantages ; for, out of 
almost every rising ground, throughout the country, there 
issue abundance of most pleasant streams, of pure and crys- 



OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. i 

tal water, than which certainly the world does not aff< 
any more delicious. These are every where to be fou: 
in the upper parts of this country, and many of them flo 
out of the sides of banks very high above the vales, whi. 
are the most suitable places for gardens — where the fine 
water works in the world may be made at a very small e 
pense. 

There are likewise several mineral springs, easily discov 
erable by their taste, as well as by the soil which the 
drive out with their streams. But I am not naturalist skii 
ful enough to describe them with the exactness they de 
serve. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

§11. Of fruits natural to the country, there is great 
abundance, but the several species of them are produced 
according to the difference of the soil, and the various situa- 
tion of the country ; it being impossible that one piece of 
ground should produce so many different kinds intermixed. 
Of the better sorts of the wild fruits that I have met with, I 
will barely give you the names, not designing a natural his- 
tory. And when I have done that, possibly I may not men- 
tion one-half of what the country affords, because I never 
went out of my way to enquire after anything of this 
nature. 

§12. Of stoned fruits, I have met with three good sorts, 
viz : Cherries, plums and persimmons. 

1. Of cherries natural to the country, and growing wild 
in the woods, I have seen three sorts. Two of these grow 
upon trees as big as the common English white oak, where- 
of one grows in bunches like grapes. Both these sorts are 
black without, and but one of them red within. That 
which is red within, is more palatable than the English 
black cherry, as being without its bitterness. The other, 
which hangs on the branch like grapes, is water coloied 
within, of a faintish sweet, and greedily devoured by the 
small birds. The thiid sort is called the Indian cherry, 
and grows higher up in the country than the others do. It 
is commonly found by the sides of rivers and branches on 
small slender trees, scarce able to support themselves, about 
the bigness of the peach trees in England. This is cer- 
tainly the most delicious cherry in the world ; it is of a 
dark puiple when ripe, and grows upon a single stalk like 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 103 

the English cherry, but is very small, though, I suppose, it 
may be made larger by cultivation, if anybody would mind 
it. These, too, are so greedily devoured by the small 
birds, that they won't let them remain on the tree long 
enough to ripen ; by which means, they are rarely known 
to any, and much more rarely tasted, though, perhaps, at 
the same time they grow just by the houses. 

2. The plums, which I have observed to grow wild 
there, are of two sorts, the black and the Murrey plum, 
both which are small, and have much the same relish with 
the damson. 

3. The persimmon is by Heriot called the Indian plum ; 
and so Smith, Purchase, and Du Lake, call it after him ; 
but I can't perceive that any of those authors had ever 
heard of the sorts I have just now mentioned, they grow- 
ing high up in the country. These persimmons, amongst 
them, retain their Indian name. They are of several sizes, 
between the bigness of a damson plum and a burgamot 
pear. The taste of them is so very rough, it is not to be 
endured till they are fully ripe, and then they are a plea- 
sant fruit. Of these, some vertuosi make an agreeable kind 
of beer, to which purpose they dry them in cakes, and lay 
them up for use. These, like most other fruits there, grow 
as thick upon the trees as ropes of onions : the branches 
very often break down by the mighty weight of the fruit. 

§13. Of berries there is a great variety, and all very 
good in their kinds. Our mulberries are of three sorts, two 
black and one white ; the long black sort are the best, be- 
ing about the bigness of a boy's thumb ; the other two 
sorts are of the shape of the English mulberry, short and 
thick, but their taste does not so generally please, being of 
a faintish sweet, without any tartness. They grow upon 
well spread, large bodied trees, which run up surprisingly 
fast. These are the pioper food of the silk-worm. 

1 . There grow naturally two sorts of currants, one red 
and the other black, more sweet than those of the same 
color in England. They grow upon small bushes, or slen- 
der trees 



J 04 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

2. There are three sorts of hurts, or huckleberries, upon 
bushes, from two to ten feet high. They grow in the 
valleys and sunken grounds, having different relishes ; but 
are all pleasing to the taste. The largest sort grow upon 
the largest bushes, and, I think, are the best berries. 

3. Cranberries grow in the low lands and barren sunken 
grounds, upon low bushes, like the gooseberry, and are 
much of the same size. They are of a lively red, when 
gathered and kept in water, and make very good tarts. I 
believe these are the berries which Captain Smith compared 
to the English gooseberry, and called Rawcomens ; having, 
perhaps, seen them only on the bushes, where they are al- 
ways very sour. 

4. The wild raspberry is by some there preferred to those 
that were transplanted thither from England ; but I cannot 
be of their opinion. 

5. Strawberries they have, as delicious as any in the 
world, and growing almost every where in the woods and 
fields. They are eaten almost by all creatures ; and yet are 
so plentiful that very few persons take care to transplant 
them, but can find enough to fill their baskets, when they 
have a mind, in the deserted old fields. 

§ 14. There grow wild several sorts of good nuts, viz. : 
chestnuts, chinkapins, hazelnuts, hickories, walnuts, &c. 

1. Chestnuts are found upon very high trees, growing in 
barren ridges. They are something less than the French 
chestnut ; but, I think not differing at all in taste. 

2. Chinkapins have a taste something like a chestnut, 
and grow in a husk or bur, being of the same sort of sub- 
stance, but not so big as an acorn. They grow upon large 
bushes, some about as high as the common apple trees in 
England, and either in the high or low, but always barren 
ground. 

3. Hazelnuts are there in infinite plenty, in all the 
swamps ; and towards the heads of the rivers, whole acres 
of them are found upon the high land. 

4. Hickory nuts are of several sorts, all growing upon 
great trees, and in an husk, like the French walnut, ex- 



OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 105 

cept that the husk is not so thick, and more apt to open. 
Some of these nuts are inclosed in so hard a shell, that 
a light hammer will hardly crack them ; and when they 
are cracked, their kernel is fastened with so firm a web, 
that there is no coming at it. Several other sorts I have 
seen with thinner shells, whose kernels may be got with 
less trouble. There are also several sorts of hickories, 
called pig nuts, some of which have as thin a shell as 
the best French walnuts, and yield their meat very easily ; 
they are all of the walnut kind. 

5. They have a sort of walnut they call black wal- 
nuts, which are as big again as any I ever saw in England, 
but are very rank and oily, having a thick, hard, foul shell, 
and come not clear of the husk as the walnut in France 
doth ; but the inside of the nut, and leaves, and growing 
of the tree, declare it to be of the walnut kind. 

6. Their woods likewise afford a vast variety of acorns, 
seven sorts of which have fallen under my observation. 
That which grows upon the live oak, buds, ripen and drops 
off the tree, almost the whole year around. All their acorns 
are very fat and oily ; but the live oak acorn is much more 
so than the rest, and I believe the making of oil of them 
would turn to a good account ; but now they only serve 
as mast for the hogs and other wild creatures, as do all the 
other fruits aforementioned, together with several other sorts 
of mast growing upon the beach, pine and other trees. 
The same use is made also of diverse sorts of pulse and 
other fruits growing upon wild vines ; such as peas, beans, 
vetches, squashes, maycocks, maracocks, melons, cucumbers, 
lupines, and an infinity of other sorts of fruits, which I 
cannot name. 

§15. Grapes grow wild there in an incredible plenty and 
variety, some of which aie very sweet, and pleasant to the 
taste ; others rough and harsh, and perhaps fitter for wine 
or brandy. I have seen great trees covered with single 
vines, and those vines almost hid with the grapes. Of these 
wild grapes, besides those large ones in the mountains, men- 

14 



106 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

tioned by Batt in his discovery, I have observed four very 
different kinds, viz : 

1. One of these sorts grows among the sand banks upon 
the edges of the low grounds, and islands next the bay and 
sea, and also in the swamps and breaches of the uplands. 
They grow thin in small bunches, and upon very low vines. 
These are noble grapes ; and though they are wild in the 
woods, are as large as the Dutch gooseberry. One species 
of them is white, others purple, blue and black, but all 
much alike in flavor ; and some long, some round. 

2. A second kind is produced throughout the whole 
country, in the swamps and sides of hills. These also 
grow upon small vines, and in small bunches ; but are 
themselves the largest grapes, as big as the English bullace, 
and of a rank taste when ripe, resembling the smell of a 
fox, from whence they are called fox grapes. Both 
these sorts make admirable tarts, being of a fleshy substance, 
and perhaps, if rightly managed, might make good raisins. 

3. There are two species more that are common to the 
whole country, some of which are black, and some blue 
on the outside, and some while. They grow upon vast 
large vines, and bear very plentifully. The nice observer 
might perhaps distinguish them into several kinds, because 
they differ in color, size, and relish ; but I shall divide them 
only into two, viz : the early and the late ripe. The early 
ripe common grape is much larger, sweeter and better than 
the other. Of these some are quite black, and others blue, 
and some white or yellow ; some also ripen three weeks 
or a month before the other The distance of their ripen- 
ing, is from the latter end of August to the latter end of 
October. The late ripe common grapes are less than any 
of the other, neither are they so pleasant to the taste. They 
hang commonly till the latter end of November, or till 
Christmas ; all that I have seen of these are black. Of 
the former of these two sorts, the French refugees at the 
Monacan town made a sort of clatet, though they were 
gathered off of the wild vines in the woods. I was told by 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 107 

a very good judge who tasted it, that it was a pleasant, 
strong, and full bodied wine. From which we may con- 
clude, (hat if the wine was but tolerable good when made 
of the wild grape, which is shaded by the woods from the 
sun, it would be much better if produced of the same grape 
cultivated in a regular vineyard. 

The year before the massacre, Anno 1622, which destroyed 
so many good projects for Virginia, some French vignerons 
were sent thither to make an experiment of their vines. 
These people were so in love with the country, that the 
character they then gave of it in their letters to the company 
in England, was very much to its advantage, namely : 
" That it far excelled their own country of Languedoc, 
the vines growing in great abundance and variety all over 
the land ; that some of the grapes were of that unusual 
bigness, that they did not believe them to be grapes, until 
by opening them they had seen their kernels ; that they 
had planted the cuttings of their vines at Michaelmas, and 
had grapes from those very cuttings the spring following. 
Adding in the conclusion, that they had not heard of the 
like in any other country." Neither was this out of the 
way, for I have made the same experiment, both of their 
natural vine and of the plants sent thither from England. 

The copies of the letters, here quoted, to the company 
in England, are still to be seen ; and Purchase, in his 
fourth volume of pilgrims, has very justly quoted some of 
them. 

§ 16. The honey and sugar trees are likewise sponta- 
neous near the heads of the rivers. The honey tree bears 
a thick swelling pod, full of honey, appearing at a distance 
like the bending pod of a bean or pea ; it is very like the 
carob tree in the herbals. The sugar tree yields a kind of 
sap or juice, which by boiling is made into sugar. This 
juice is drawn out by wounding the trunk of the tree, and 
placing a receiver under the wound. It is said that the 
Indians make one pound of sugar out of eight pounds of 
the liquor. Some of this sugar I examined very carefully. 



10S OP THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

It was bright and moist, with a large, full grain, the 
sweetness of it being like that of good muscovado. 

Though this discovery has not been made by the English 
above 2S or thirty years, yet it has been known among 
the Indians before the English settled there. It was found 
out by the English after this manner : The soldiers which 
were kept on the land frontiers to clear them of the Indians, 
taking their range through a piece of low ground about 
forty miles above the then inhabited parts of Potomac river, 
and resting themselves in the woods of those low grounds, 
observed an inspissate juice, like molasses, distilling from the 
tree. The heat of the sun had candied some of this juice, 
which gave the men a curiosity to taste it. They found it 
sweet, and by this process of nature learned to improve it 
into sugar. But the Christian inhabitants are now settled 
where many of these trees grow, but it hath not yet been 
tried, whether for quantity or quality it may be worth while 
to cultivate this discovery. 

Thus the Canada Indians make sugar of the sap of a 
tree. And Peter Martyr mentions a tree that yields the 
like oap, but without any description. The eleomeli of the 
ancients, a sweet juice like honey, is said to be got by 
wounding the olive tree ; and the East Indians extract a 
sort of sugar, they call jagra, from the juice, or potable 
liquor, that flows from the coco tree. The whole process 
of boiling, graining and refining of which, is accurately 
set down by the authors of Hortus Malabaricus. 

§17. At the mouth of their rivers, and all along upon 
the sea and bay, and near many of their creeks and 
swamps, grows the myrtle, bearing a berry, of which they 
make a hard brittle wax, of a curious green color, which 
by refining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make 
candles, which are never greasy to the touch, nor melt with 
lying in the hottest weather ; neither does the snuff of these 
ever offend the smell like that of a tallow candle ; but 
instead of being disagreeable, if an accident put a candle 
out, it yields a pleasant fragrancy to all that are in the 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 109 

voom ; insomuch, that nice people often put (hem out, 01? 
purpose to have the incense of the expiring snuff. 

The melting of these berries is said to have been first 
found out by a surgeon in New England, who performed 
wonderful things, with a salve made of them. This dis- 
covery is very modern, notwithstanding these countries have 
been so long settled. 

The method of managing these berries is by boiling 
ihem in water, till they come to be entirely dissolved, 
except the stone or seed in the middle, which amounts 
in quantity to about half the bulk of the berry ; the big- 
gest of which is something less than a corn of pepper. 

There are also in the plains, and rich low grounds of 
the freshes, abundance of hops, which yield their product 
without any labor of the husbandman, in weeding, hilling 
or poling. 

§ IS. All over the country is interspersed here and there 
a surprising variety of curious plants and flowers. They 
have a sort of briar, growing something like the sarsa- 
parilla. The berry of this is as big as a pea, and as 
round, the seed being of a bright crimson color. It is 
very hard, and finely polished by nature, so that it might 
be put to diverse ornamental uses, as necklaces are, &c. 

There are several woods, plants and earths, which have 
been fit for the dying of curious colors. They have the 
puccoon and musquaspen, two roots, with which the In- 
dians use to paint themselves red. And a berry, which 
grows upon a wild briar, dyes a handsome blue. There 
is the sumac and the sassafras, which make a deep yel- 
low. Mr. Heriot tells us of several others which he found 
at Pamtego, and gives the Indian names of them ; but 
that language being not understood by the Virginians, I 
am not able to distinguish which he means. Particularly 
he takes notice of wasebur, an herb ; chapacour, a root ; 
and tangomockonominge, a bark. 

There's the snake root, so much admired in England for 
a cordial, and for being a great antidote in all pestilential 
diptemppr* 



110 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

There's the rattlesnake root, to which no remedy was 
ever yet found comparable ; for it effectually cures the 
bite of a rattlesnake, which sometimes has been mortal in 
two minutes. If this medicine be early applied, it present- 
ly removes the infection, and in two or three hours restores 
the patient to as perfect health as if he had never been hurt. 

The Jamestown weed (which resembles the thorny apple 
of Peru, and I take to be the plant so called) is supposed 
to be one of the greatest coolers in the world. This being 
an early plant, was gathered very young for a boiled salad, 
by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the rebellion 
of Bacon ; and some of them eat plentifully of it, the effect 
of which was a very pleasant comedy ; for they turned na- 
tural fools upon it for several days : one would blow up a 
feather in the air j another would dart straws at it with 
much fury ; and another stark naked was sitting up in a 
corner, like a monkey, grinning and making mows at them ; 
a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and 
snear in their faces, with a countenance more antic than 
any in a Dutch droll. In this frantic condition they were 
confined, lest they should in their folly destroy themselves ; 
though it was observed that all their actions were full of 
innocence and good nature. Indeed, they were not very 
cleanly, for they would have wallowed in their own ex- 
crements if they had not been prevented. A thousand such 
simple tricks they played, and after eleven days returned 
to themselves again, not remembering anything that had 
passed. 

Peihaps this was the same herb that Mark Antony's 
army met with in his retreat frotn the Parthian war and 
siege of Phraata, when such as had eaten thereof em- 
ployed themselves with much earnestness and industry in 
grubbing up stones, and removing them from one place 
to another, as if it had been a business of the greatest 
consequence. Wine, as the story says, was found a sove- 
reign remedy for it, which . is likely enough, the malig- 
nity of this herb being cold. 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. Ill 

Of spontaneous flowers they liave an unknown variety : 
the finest crown imperial in the world ; the cardinal flower, 
so much extolled for its scarlet color, is almost in every 
branch ; the moccasin flower, and a thousand others not 
yet known lo English herbalists. Almost all the year 
round the levels and vales are beautified with flowers of 
one kind or other, which make their woods as fragrant 
as a garden. From the materials, their wild bees make 
vast quantities of honey, but their magazines are very 
often rifled by bears, raccoons, and such like liquorish ver- 
min. 

About the year 1701, walking out to take the air, I 
found, a little without my pasture fence, a flower as big 
as a tulip, and upon a stalk lesembli ng the stalk of a 
tulip. The flower was of a flesh color, having a down 
upon one end, while the other was plain. The form of 
it resembled the pudenda of a man and woman lovingly 
joined in one. Not long after I had discovered this rarity, 
and while it was still in bloom, I drew a grave gentle- 
man, about an hundred yards out of his way, to see this 
curiosity, not telling him anything more than that it. was 
a rarity, and such perhaps as he had never seen nor 
heard of. When we arrived at the place, T gathered one 
of them, and put it into his hand, which he had no 
sooner cast his eye upon, but he threw it away with in- 
dignation, as being ashamed of this waggery of nature. It 
was impossible to persuade him to touch it again, or so 
much as to squint towards so immodest a representation. 
Neither would 1 presume to mention such an indecency, 
but that I thought it unpardonable to omit a production 
so extraordinary. 

There is also found the fine tulip-bearing laurel tree, 
which has the pleasantest smell in the world, and keeps 
blossoming and seeding several months together. It de- 
lights much in gravelly branches of chrystal streams, and 
perfumes the very woods with its odor. So also do the 
large tulip tree, which we call a poplar, the locust, which 



112 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

resembles much the jasmine, and the perfuming crab tree, 
during their season. With one sort or other of these, as 
well as many other sweet -flowering trees not named, the 
vales are almost everywhere adorned, and yield a sur- 
prising variety to divert the traveler. 

They find a world of medicinal plants likewise in that 
country, and amongst the rest the planters pretend to have 
a swamp-root, which infallibly cures all fevers and agues. 
The baik of the sassafras tree and wild cherry tree have 
been experimented to partake very much of the virtue of 
the cortex peruviana. The bark of the root, of that which 
we call the prickly ash, being dried and powdered, has 
been found to be a specific in old ulcers and long run- 
ning sores. Infinite is the number of other valuable vege- 
tables of every kind ; but natural history not having been 
my study, I am unwilling to do wrong to my subject by 
an unskillful description. 

^ 19. Several kinds of the creeping vines bearing fruit, 
the Indians planted in their gardens or fields, because they 
wouls have plenty of them always at hand ; such as musk- 
melons, watermelons, pompions, cushaws, macocks and 
gourds. 

1. Their muskmelons resemble the large Italian kind, 
and generally fill four or five quarts. 

2. Their watermelons were much more large, and of se- 
veral kinds, distinguished by the color of their meat and 
seed; some are red, some yellow, and others white meated; 
and so of the seed, some are yellow, some red, and some 
black ; but these are never of different colors in the same 
melon. This fruit the Muscovites call arpus ; the Turks 
and Tartars karpus, because they are extremely cooling. 
The Persians call them hindnanes, because they had the 
first seed of them from the Indies. They are excellency 
good, and very pleasant to the taste, as also to the eye ; 
having the rind of a lively green coloi, streaked and wa- 
tered, the meat of a carnation, and the seed black and 
shining, while it lies in the melon. 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 1 1 3 

3. Their pompions I need not describe, but must say 
they are much larger and finer than any I ever heard of 
in England. 

4. Their cushaws are a kind of pompion, of a bluish 
green color, streaked with white, when they are fit for 
use. They are larger than the pompions, and have a 
long narrow neck. Perhaps this may be the ecushaw of 
T. Harriot. 

5. Their macocks are a sort of melopepones, or lesser 
sort of pompion or cushaw. Of these they have great va- 
riety ; but the Indian name macock serves for all, which 
name is still retained among them. Yet the clypealae are 
sometimes called cymnels, ('as are some others also,) from 
the lenten cake of that name, which many of them very 
much resemble. Squash, or squanter-squash, is their name 
among the northern Indians, and so they are called in 
New York and New England. These being boiled whole, 
when the apple is young, and the shell tender, and dish- 
ed with cream or butter, relish very well with all sorts of 
butcher's meat, either fresh or salt. And whereas the 
pompion is never eaten till it be ripe, these are never 
eaten after they are ripe. 

6. The Indians never eat the gourds, but plant them 
for other uses. Yet the Persians, who likewise abound 
with this sort of fruit, eat the cucurbita lagenaris, which 
they call kabach, boiling it while it is green, before it 
comes to its full maturity, for when it is ripe the rind 
diies, and grows as hard as the bark of a tree, and the 
meat within is so consumed and dried away, that there 
ie i hen nothing left but the seed, which the Indians take 
clean out, and afterwards use the shells, instead of flagons 
and cups, as is done also in several othei parts of the 
world. 

7. The maracock, which is the fruit of what we call the 
pas-ion flower, our natives did not take the pains to plant, 
having enough of it growing everywhere, though they 
often eat it; this fruit is about the size of a pullet's egg. 

15 



114 OP THE WILD FRUJTS OF THE COUNTRY. 

§ 20. Besides all these, our natives had originally amongst 
them Indian corn, peas, beans, potatoes and tobacco. 

This Indian corn was the staff of food upon which 
the Indians did ever depend ; for when sickness, bal wea- 
ther, war, or any other ill accident kept them from hunt- 
ing, fishing and fowling, this, with the addition of some 
peas, beans, and such other fruits of the earth, as were 
then in season, was the family's dependence, and the sup- 
port of their women and children. 

There are four sorts of Indian corn : two of which are 
early ripe, and two late ripe, all growing in the same 
manner ; every single grain of this when planted produces 
a tall upright stalk, which has several ears hanging on 
the sides of it, from six to ten inches long. Each ear is 
wrapt up in a cover of many folds, to protect it from the 
injuries of the weather. In every one of these ears are 
several rows of grain, set close to one another, with no 
other partition but of a very thin husk. So that often- 
times the increase of this grain amounts to above a thou- 
sand for one. 

The two sorts which are early ripe, are distinguished 
only by the size, which shows itself as well in the grain 
as in the ear and the stalk. There is some difference 
also in the time of ripening. 

The lesser size of early ripe corn yields an ear not 
much larger than the handle of a case knife, and grows 
upon a stalk between three and four feet high. Of this 
may be made two crops in a year, and perhaps there 
might be heat enough in England to ripen it. 

The larger sort differs from the former only in large- 
ness, the ear of this being seven or eight inches long, as 
thick as a child's leg, and growing upon a stalk nine 
or ten feet high. This is fit for eating about the latter 
end of June, whereas the smaller sort (generally speak- 
ing) affords ears fit to roast by the middle of June. The 
grains of both these sorts are as plump and swelled as if 
the skin were readv to burst. 



OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 115 

The late ripe corn is diversified by the shape of the 
grain only, without any respect to the accidental differ- 
ences in color, some being blue, some red, some yellow, 
some white, and some streaked. That therefore which 
makes the distinction, is the plumpness or shriveling of the 
grain ; the one looks as smooth and as full as the early 
ripe corn, and this they call flint corn ; the other has a 
larger grain, and looks shriveled, with a dent on the 
back of the grain, as if it had never come to perfection ; 
and this they call she corn. This is esteemed by the 
planters as the best for increase, and is universally chosen 
by them for planting ; yet I can't see but that this also 
produces the flint corn, accidentally among the other. 

All these sorts are planted alike in rows, three, four or 
five grains in a hill ; the larger sort at four or five feet 
distance, the lesser sort nearer. The Indians used to give 
it one or two weedings, and make a hill about it, and so 
the labor was done. They likewise plant a bean in the 
same hill with the corn, upon whose stalk it sustains itself. 

The Indians sowed peas sometimes in the intervals of 
the rows of corn, but more generally in a patch of 
ground by themselves. They have an unknown variety 
of them, (but all of a kidney shape,) some of which I 
have met with wild ; but whence they had their Indian 
corn I can give no account ; for I don't believe that it 
was spontaneous in those parts. 

Their potatoes are either red or white, about as long 
as a boy's leg, and sometimes as long and big as both 
the leg and thigh of a young child, and very much re- 
sembling it in shape. I take these kinds to be the same 
with those which are represented in the heibals to be 
Spanish potatoes. I am sure those called English or Irish 
potatoes are nothing like these, either in shape, color or 
taste. The way of propagating potatoes there, is by cut- 
ting the small ones to pieces, and planting the cuttings in 
hills of loose earth ; but they are so tender, that it is very 
dilficult to preserve them in the winter, for the least frost 



116 OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. 

coming at them, rots and destroys them, and therefore 
people bury 'em under ground, near the fire-hearth, all the 
winter, until the time comes that their seedings are to be 
set. 

How the Indians ordered their tobacco I am not certajja, 
they now depending chiefly upon the English for what 
they smoke ; but I am informed they used to let it all 
run to seed, only succoring the leaves to keep the sprouts 
from growing upon, and starving them ; and when it was 
ripe they pulled off the leaves, cured them in the sun, 
and laid them up for use. But the planters make a 
heavy bustle with it now, and can't please the market 
neither. 



CHAPTER V . 



OF THE FISH. 

§ 21. As for fish, both of fresh and salt water, of shell 
fish, and others, no country can boast of more variety, 
greater plenty, or of bettei in their several kinds. 

In the spring of the year herrings come up in such 
abundance into their brooks and fords to spawn, that it is 
almost impossible to ride through without treading on them. 
Thus do those poor creatures expose their own lives to 
some hazard, out of their care to find a more convenient 
reception for their young, which are not yet alive. Thence 
it is that at this time of the year the freshes of the 
rivers, like that of the Broadruck, stink of fish. 

Besides these herrings, there come up likewise into the 
freshes from the sea multitudes of shad, rock, sturgeon, 
and some few lampreys, which fasten themselves to the 
shad, as the remora of Imperatus is said to do to the shark 
of Tiburone. They continue their stay there about three 
months. The shads at their first coming up are fat and 
fleshy ; but they waste so extremely in milting and spawn- 
ing, that at their going down they are poor, and seem 
fuller of bones, only because they have less flesh. It is 
upon this account (I suppose) that those in the Severn, 
which in Gloucester they call twaits, aie said at first to 
want those, intennusculary bones, which afterwards they 
abound with. As these are in the freshes, so the salts 
afford at certain limes of the year many other kinds of fish 
in infinite shoals, such as the old-wife, a fish not much 
unlike an herring, and the sheep's-head, a sort of fish, 
which they esteem in the number of their best. 



118 OF THE FISH. 

§ 22. There is likewise great plenty of other fish all the 
summer long 5 and almost in every part of the rivers and 
brooks, there 'are found of different kinds. Wherefore I 
shall not pretend to give a detail of them, but venture to 
mention the names only of such as I have eaten and seen 
myself, and so leave the rest to those that are better skilled 
in natural history. However, I may add, that besides all 
those that I have met with myself, I have heard of a great 
many very good sorts, both in the salts and freshes ; and 
such people, too, as have not always spent their time in 
that country, have commended them to me beyond any they 
had ever eat before. 

Those which I know of myself I remember by the names 
of herring, rock, sturgeon, shad, old-wife, sheep's-head, 
black and red drum, trout, taylor, green-fish, sun-fish, 
bass, chub, place, flounder, whiting, fatback, maid, wife, 
small-turtle, crab, oyster, mussel, cockle, shrimp, needle- 
fish, breme, carp, pike, jack, mullet, eel, conger-eel, 
perch, and cat, &c. 

Those which I remember to have seen there, of the kinds 
that are not eaten, are the whale, porpus, shark, dog-fish, 
garr, stingray, thornback, saw-fish, toad-fish, frog fish, land- 
crab, fiddler, and periwinckle. One day as I was hauling 
a sein upon the salts, I caught a small fish about two 
inches and an half long, in shape something resembling a 
scorpion, but of a dirty, dark color. I was a little shy of 
handling it, though I believe there was no hurt in it. This 
I judge to be that fish which Mr. Purchase in his Pilgrims, 
and Captain Smith in his General History, page 125, affirm 
to be extremely like St. George's Dragon, except only that 
it wants feets and wings. Governor Spotswood has one of 
them dried in full shape. 

§ 23. Before the arrival of the English there the Indians 
had fish in such vast plenty, that the boys and girls would 
take a pointed stick and strike the lesser sort as they swam 
upon the flats. The larger fish, that kept in deeper water, 
they were put to a little more difficulty to take. But for 



OF THE FISH. 1 !9 

these they made weirs, that is, a hedge of small riv'd sticks, 
or reeds, of the thickness of a man's finger. These they 
wove together in a row, with straps of green oak, or other 
tough wood, so close that the small fish could not pass 
through. Upon high water mark they pitched one end of 
this hedge, and the other they extended into the river, to 
the depth of eight or ten feet, fastening it with stakes, 
making cods out from the hedge on one side almost at the 
end, and leaving a gap for the fish to go into them, which 
were contrived so that the fish could easily find their pas- 
sage into those cods when they were at the gap, but not 
see their way out again when they were in. Thus, if 
they offered to pass through, they were taken. 

Sometimes they made such a hedge as this quite across 
a cieek at high water, and at low would go into the run, 
then contracted into a narrow stream, and take out what 
fish they pleased. 

At the falls of the rivers, where the water is shallow, and 
the current strong, the Indians use another kind of weir, 
thus made : They make a dam of loose stone, whereof 
there is plenty at hand, quite across the river, leaving one, 
two or more spaces or tunnels for the water to pass 
through ; at the mouth of which they set a pot of reeds, 
wove in form of a cone, whose base is about three feet, 
and perpendicular ten, into which the swiftness of the 
current carries the fish, and there lodges (hem. 

The Indian way of catching sturgeon, when they came 
into the narrow part of the rivers, was by a man's clap- 
ping a noose over their tails, and by keeping fast his hold. 
Thus a fish finding itself entangled would flounce, and 
often pull the man under water, and then that man was 
counted a cockarouse, or brave fellow, that would not let 
go ; till with swimming, wading and diving, he had tired 
the sturgeon, and brought it. ashore. These sturgeons 
would also often leap into their canoes in crossing (he 
river, as many of them do still every year into the boats 
of the English. 



120 OP THE FISH. 

They have also another way of fishing like those on 
the Euxine sea, by the help of a blazing fire by night. 
They make a hearth in the middle of their canoe, raising 
it within two inches of the edge ; upon this they lay their 
burning lightwood, split into small shivers, each splinter 
whereof will blaze and burn, end for end, like a candle : 
'Tis one man's work to attend his fire and keep it 
flaming. At each end of the canoe stands an Indian, 
with a gig or pointed spear, setting the canoe forward, 
with the butt end of the spear, as gently as he can, by 
that means stealing upon the fish without any noise, or 
disturbing of the water. Then they with great dexterity 
dart these spears into the fish, and so take them. Now 
there is a double convenience in the blaze of this fire, 
for it not only dazzles the eyes of the fish, which will 
lie still, glaring upon it, but likewise discovers the bot- 
tom of the river clearly to the fisherman, which the day- 
light does not. 

The following print, I may justly affirm to be a very 
true representation of the Indian fishery. 

Tab. I. Repiesents the Indians in a canoe with a fire in 
the middle, attended by a boy and a girl. In one end is a 
net made of silk grass, which they use in fishing their 
weirs. Above is the shape of their weirs, and the manner 
of setting a weir wedge across the mouth of a creek. 

Note. That in fishing their weirs they lay the side of 
the canoe to the cods of the weir, for the more convenient 
coming at them, and not with the end going into the cods, 
as is set down in the print : but we could not otherwise 
represent it here, lest we should have confounded the shape 
of the weir with the canoe. 

In the air you see a fishing hawk flying away with a 
fish, and a bald eagel pursuing to take it from him ; the 
bald eagle has always his head and tail white, and they 
carry such a lustre with them that the white thereof may 
be discerned as far as you can see the shape of the bird, 
and seems as if it were without feathers, and thence it has 
its name bald eagle. 



OF THE PISH. 



121 



§24. 'Tis a good diversion to observe, the manner of the 
fishing-hawk's preying upon fish, which may be seen every 
fair day all the summer long, and especially in a morning. 
At the first coming of the fish in the spring, these birds of 
prey are surprisingly eager. I believe, in the dead of win- 
ter, they fish farther off at sea, or remain among the 
craggy uninhabited islands upon the sea coast. I have often 
been pleasantly entertained by seeing these hawks take the 
fish out of the water, and as they were flying away with 
their quarry, the bald eagles take it from them again. I 
have often observed the first of these hover over the water 
and rest upon the wing some minutes together, without the 
least change of place, and then from a vast height dart di- 
rectly into the water, and there plunge down for the space 
of half a minute or more, and at last bring up with him a 
fish which he could hardly rise with ; then, having got 
upon the wing again, he would shake himself so power- 
fully that he threw the water like a mist about him ; after- 
wards away he'd fly to the woods with his game, if he 
were not overlooked by the bald eagle and robbed by the 
way, which very frequently happens. For the bald eagle 
no sooner perceives a hawk that has taken his prey but he 
immediately pursues and strives to get above him in the 
air, which if he can once attain, the hawk for fear of be- 
ing torn by him, lets the fish drop, and so by the loss of 
his dinner compounds for his own safety. The poor fish is 
no sooner loosed from the hawk's talons, but the eagle 
shoots himself with wonderful swiftness after it, and catches 
it in the air, leaving all further pursuit of the hawk, which 
has no other remedy but to go and fish for another. 

Walking once with a gentleman in an orchard by the 
river side, early in the spring, before the fish were by us 
perceived to appear in shoal water or near the shores, and 
before any had been caught by the people, w T e heard a 
great noise in the air just over our heads, and looking up 
we saw an eagle in close pursuit of a hawk that had a 
great fish in his pounces. The hawk was as low as the 
16 



122 OF THE FISH. 

apple trees before he would let go his fish, thinking to re- 
cover the wood which was just by, where the eagles dare 
never follow, for fear of bruising themselves. But, not- 
withstanding the fish was diopped so low, and though it 
did not fall above thirty yards from us, yet we with our 
hollowing, running and casting up out hats, could hardly 
save the fish from the eagle, and if it had been let go two 
yards higher he would have got it : but we at last took 
possession of it alive, carried it home, and had it dressed 
forthwith. It served five of us very plentifully for a break- 
fast, and some to the servants. This fish was a rock near 
two feet long, very fat, and a great rarity for the time of 
year, as well as for the manner of its being taken. 

These fishing hawks, in more plentiful seasons, will catch 
a fish and loiter about with it in the air, on purpose to 
have chase with an eagle ; and when he does not appear 
soon enough the hawk will make a saucy noise, and inso- 
lently defy him. This has been frequently seen by per- 
sons who have observed their fishings. 



CHAPTER VI 



OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. 

§25. As in summer, the rivers and creeks are filled with 
fish, so in winter they are in many places covered with 
fowl. There are such a multitude of swans, geese, brants, 
sheldrakes, ducks of several sorts, mallard, teal, blewings, 
and many other kinds of water fowl, that the plenty of 
them is incredible. I am but a small sportsman, yet with 
a fowling piece have killed above twenty of them at a 
shot. In like manner are the mill ponds and great runs in 
the woods stored with these wild fowl at certain seasons of 
the year. 

§26. The shores, marshy grounds, swamps and savan- 
nahs are also stored with the like plenty of other game of 
all sorts, as cranes, curlews, herons, snipes, woodcocks, sau- 
rers, ox-eyes, plovers, larks, and many other good birds for 
the table that they have not yet found a name for. Not to 
mention beavers, otters, musk rats, minxes, and an infinite 
number of other wild creatures. 

§ 27. Although the inner lands want these benefits, 
(which, however, no pond or plash is without,) yet even 
they have the advantage of wild turkeys, of an incredible 
bigness, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and an infinity of 
small birds, as well as deer, hares, foxes, raccoons, squir- 
rels, opossums. And upon the frontier plantations, they meet 
with bears, panthers, wild cats, elks, buffaloes and wild 
hogs, which yield pleasure as well as profit to the sports- 
man. And though some of these names may seem frightful 
to the English, who hear not of them in their own country, 
yet they are not so there, for all these creatures ever fly 



124 OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. 

from the face of man, doing no damage but to the cattle 
and hogs, which the Indians never troubled themselves 
about. 

Here I cannot omit a strange rarity in the female opos- 
sum, which I myself have seen. They have a false belly, 
or loose skin quite over the belly ; this never sticks to the 
flesh of the belly, but may be looked into at all times, 
after they have been concerned in procreation. In the 
hinderpart of this is an aperture big enough for a small 
hand to pass into : hither the young ones, after they are 
full haired, and strong enough to run about, do fly when- 
ever any danger appears, or when they go to rest or suck. 
This they continue till they have learned to live without 
the dam : but what is yet stranger, the young ones are bred 
in this false belly without ever being within the true one. 
They are formed at the teat, and there they grow for seve- 
ral weeks together into perfect shape, becoming visibly lar- 
ger, till at last they get strength, sight and hair ; and then 
they drop off and rest in this false belly, going in and out 
at pleasure. I have observed them thus fastened at the teat 
from the bigness of a fly until they become as large as a 
mouse. Neither is it any hurt to the old one to open this 
budget and look in upon her young. 

§28. The Indians had no other way of taking (heir 
water or land fowl, but by the help of bows and arrows. 
Yet so great was their plenty, that with this weapon only 
they killed what numbers they pleased. And when the 
water fowl kept far from shore (as in warmer weather they 
sometimes did) they took their canoes and paddled after 
them. 

But they had a better way of killing the elks, buffaloes, 
deer, and greater game, by a method which we call fire 
hunting : that is, a company of them would go together 
back into the woods any time in the winter, when the 
leaves were falling and so dry that they would burn ; and 
being come to the place designed, they would fire the 
woods in a circle of five or six miles compass ; and when 



OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. 125 

they had completed the first round they retreated inward, 
each at his due distance, and put fire to the leaves aud 
grass afresh, to accelerate the work, which ought to be fin- 
ished with the day. This they repeat till the circle be so 
contracted that they can see their game herded all together 
in the middle, panting and almost stifled with heat and 
smoke ; for the poor creatures being frightened at the flame 
keep running continually round, thinking to run from it, 
and dare not pass through the fire ; by which means they 
are brought at last into a very narrow compass. Then the 
Indians retreat into the centre, and let fly their arrows at 
them as they pass round within the circle ; by this means, 
though they stand often quite clouded in smoke, they rarely 
shoot each other. By this means they destroy all the 
beasts collected within that circle. They make all this 
slaughter chiefly for the sake of the skins, leaving most of 
the carcasses to perish in the woods. 

Father Verbiast, in his description of the Emperor of 
China's voyage into the Easlern Tartary, Anno 1682, gives 
an account of a way of hunting the Tartars have, not much 
unlike this ; only whereas the Indians surround their game 
with fire, the Tartars do it with a great body of armed 
men, who having environed the ground they design to 
drive, march equally inwards, which, still as the ring les- 
sens, brings the men nearer each other, till at length the 
wild beasts are encompassed with a living wall. 

The Indians have many pretty inventions to discover and 
come up to the deer, turkeys and oilier game undiscemed ; 
but that being an art known to very few English there, I 
will not be so accessary to the destruction of their game as 
to make it public. I shall therefore only tell you, that 
when they go a hunting into the outlands, they commonly 
go out for (he whole season with (heir wives and family. 
At the place where they find the most game they build up 
a convenient number of small cabins, wherein they live dur- 
ing that season. These cabins are both begun and finished 
in two or three days, and after the season is over they 
make no farther account of them. 



126 OP WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. 

§ 29. This, and a great deal more, was the natural pro- 
duction of that country, which the native Indians enjoyed, 
without the curse of industry, their diversion alone, and not 
their labor, supplying their necessities. The women and 
children indeed were so far provident as to lay up some of 
the nuts and fruits of the earth in their season for their far- 
ther occasions : but none of the toils of husbandry were ex- 
ercised by this happy people, except the bare planting a 
little corn and melons, which took up only .a few days in 
the summer, the rest being wholly spent in the pursuit of 
their pleasures. And indeed all that the English have done 
since their going thither has been only to make some of 
these native pleasures more scarce, by an inordinate and un- 
seasonable use of them ; hardly making improvements equiv- 
alent to that damage. 

I shall in the next book give an account of the Indians 
themselves, their religion, laws and customs ; that so both 
the country and its primitive inhabitants may be considered 
together in that original state of nature in which the En- 
glish found them. Afterwards I will treat of the present 
state of the English there, and the alterations, I can't call 
them improvements, they have made at this day. 



. -H 



BOOK III 



OF THE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND 
CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND PEACE. 



CHAPTER I. 



OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 

^ 1. The Indians are of the middling and largest sta<- 
ture of the English. They are straight and well propor- 
tioned, having the cleanest and most exact limbs in the 
world. They are so perfect in their outward frame, that 
I never heard of one single Indian that was either dwarfish, 
crooked, bandy-legged, or otherwise misshapen. But if they 
have any such practice among them as the Romans had, 
of exposing such children till they died, as were weak 
and misshapen at their birth, they are very shy of confess- 
ing it, and I could never yet learn that they had. 

Their color, when they are grown up, is a chestnut 
brown and tawny ; but much clearer in their infancy. 
Their skin comes afterwards to harden and grow blacker 
by greasing and sunning themselves. They have generally 
coal black hair, and very black eyes, which are most com- 
monly graced with that sort of squint which many of the 
Jews are observed to have. Their women are generally 
beautiful, possessing shape and features agreeable enough, 
and wanting no charm but that of education and a fair 
complexion. 



128 OP THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 

§ 2. The men wear their hair cut after several fanciful 
fashions, sometimes greased, and sometimes painted. The 
great men, or better sort, preserve a long lock behind for 
distinction. They pull their beards up by the roots with 
inusselshells, and both men and women do the same by 
the other parts of their body for cleanliness sake. The 
women wear the hair of the head very long, either hang- 
ing at their backs, or brought before in a single lock, 
bound up with a fillet of peak, or beads ; sometimes also 
they wear it neatly tied up in a knot behind. It is com- 
monly greased, and shining black, but never painted. 

The people of condition, of both sexes, wear a sort of 
coronet on their heads, from four to six inches broad, open 
at the top, and composed of peak, or beads, or else of 
both interwoven together, and worked into figures, made 
by a nice mixture of the colors. Sometimes they wear a 
wreath of died furs, as likewise bracelets on their necks 
and arms. The common people go bareheaded, only 
sticking large shining feathers about their heads, as their 
fancies lead them. 

§ 3. Their clothes are a large mantle, carelessly wrap- 
ped about their bodies, and sometimes girt close in the 
middle with a girdle. The upper part of this mantle is 
drawn close upon the shoulders, and the other hangs be- 
low their knees. When that's thrown off, they have only 
for modesty sake a piece of cloth, or a small skin tied 
round their waist, which reaches down to the middle of the 
thigh. The common sort tie only a string round their 
middle, and pass a piece of cloth or skin round between 
their thighs, which they turn at each end over the string. 

Their shoes, when they wear any, are made of an en- 
tire piece of buckskin, except when they sew a piece to 
the bottom to thicken the sole. They are fastened on 
with running strings, the skin being drawn together like a 
purse on the top of the foot, and tied round the ankle. 
The Indian name of this kind of shoe is moccasin. 

But because a draught of these things will inform the 




*$ 



OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 129 

reader more at first view than a description in many words, 
I shall present him with the following prints drawn by 
the life. 

Tab. II. is an Indian man in his summer dress. The 
upper part of his hair is cut short to make a ridge, 
which stands up like the comb of a cock, the rest is 
either shorn off, or knotted behind his ear. On his head 
are stuck three feathers of the wild turkey, pheasant, 
hawk, or such like. At his ear is hung a fine shell 
with pearl drops. At his breast is a tablet, or fine shell, 
smooth as polished marble, which sometimes also hath 
etcbed on it a star, half moon, or other figure, according 
to the maker's fancy. Upon his neck and wrists hang 
strings of beads, peak and roenoke. His apron is made 
of a deer skin, gashed round the edges, which hang like 
tassels or fringe ; at the upper end of the fringe is an 
edging of peak, to make it finer. His quiver is of a 
thin bark ; but sometimes they make it of the skin of a 
fox, or young wolf, with the head hanging to it, which 
has a wild soit of terror in it ; and to make it yet more 
warlike, they tie it on with the tail of a panther, buffalo, 
or such like, letting the end hang down between their 
legs. The piicked lines on his shoulders, breast and legs, 
represent the figures painted thereon. In his left hand he 
holds a bow, and in his right an arrow. The mark upon 
his shoulderblade is a distinction used by the Indians in 
traveling, to show the nation they are of ; and perhaps 
is the same with that which Baron Lahontan calls the 
arms and heraldry of the Indians. Thus the several let- . 
tered marks are used by several other nations about Vir- 
ginia, when they make a journey to their friends and 
allies. 

The landscape is a natural representation of an Indian 
field. 

Tab. Ill is two Indian men in their winter dress. 
Seldom any but the elder people wore the winter cloaks 
(which they call match-coats) till they got a supply of 
IT 



130 OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 

European goods ; and now most have them of one sort or 
other in the cold winter weather. Fig. 1 wears the pro- 
per Indian match-coat, which is made of skins, dressed 
with the >fur on, sewed together, and worn with the fur 
inwards, having the edges also gashed for beauty sake. 
On his feet are moccasins. By him stand some Indian 
cabins on the banks of the river. Fig. 2 wears the Duf- 
field match-coat bought of the English ; on his head is a 
coronet of peak, on his legs are stockings made of Duf- 
fields : that is, they take a length to reach from the ankle 
to the knee, so broad as to wrap round the leg ; this 
they sew together, letting the edges stand out at an inch 
beyond the seam. When this is on, they garter below 
knee, and fasten the lower end in the moccasin. 

§4.1 don't find that the Indians have any other distinc- 
tion in their dress, or the fashion of their hair, than only 
what a greater degree of riches enables them to make, ex- 
cept it be their religious persons, who are known by the 
particular cut of the hair and the unusual figure of their 
garments ; as our clergy are distinguished by their canonical 
habit. 

The habit of the Indian priest is a cloak made in the 
form of a woman's petticoat ; but instead of tieing it about 
their middle, they fasten the gatherings about their neck and 
tie it upon the right shoulder, always keeping one arm out 
to use upon occasion. This cloak hangs even at the bot- 
tom, but reaches no lower than the middle of the thigh ; 
but what is most particular in it is, that it is constantly 
made of a skin dressed soft, with the pelt or fur on the out- 
side, and reversed ; insomuch, that when the cloak has been 
a little worn the hair falls down in flakes, and looks very 
shagged and frightful. 

The cut of their hair is likewise peculiar to their func- 
tion ; for 'tis all shaven close except a thin crest, like a 
cock's comb, which stands bristling up, and runs in a semi- 
circle from the forehead up along the crown to the nape of 
the neck. They likewise have a border of hair over the 



OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 131 

forehead, which by its own natural strength, and by the 
stiffening it receives from grease and paint, will stand out 
like the peak of a bonnet. 

Tab. IV. Is a priest and a conjurer in their proper 
habits. The priest's habit is sufficiently described above. 
The conjurer shaves all his hair off, except the crest on the 
crown ; upon his ear he wears the skin of some dark 
colored bird ; he, as well as the priest, is commonly grimed 
with soot or the like ; to save his modesty he hangs an 
otter skin at his girdle, fastening the tail between his legs ; 
upon his thigh hangs his pocket, which is fastened by tuck- 
ing it under his girdle, the bottom of this is likewise fringed 
with tassels for ornament sake. In the middle between 
them is the Huskanawpen spoken of §32. 

§5. The dress of the women is little different from that 
of the men, except in the tieing of their hair. The women 
of distinction wear deep necklaces, pendants and biacelets, 
made of small cylinders of the conch shell, which they 
call peak : they likewise keep their skin clean and shining 
with oil, while the men are commonly bedaubed all over 
with paint. 

They are remarkable for having small round breasts, and 
so firm, that they are hardly ever observed to hang down, 
even in old women. They commonly go naked as far as 
the navel downward, and upward to the middle of the 
thigh, by which means they have the advantage of discov- 
ering their fine limbs and complete shape. 

Tab. V. Is a couple of young women. The first wear- 
ing a coronet, necklace and bracelet of peak ; the second a 
wreath of furs on her head, and her hair is bound with a 
fillet of peak and beads. Between the two is a woman 
under a tree making a basket of silk grass after their own 
manner. 

Tab. VI. Is a woman and a boy running after her. 
One of her hands rests in hei necklace of peak, and the 
other holds a gourd, in which they put water or other 
liquid. 



132 OP THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. 

The boy wears a necklace of runtees, in his right hand is 
an Indian rattle, and in his left a roasting ear of com. 
Round his waist is a small string, and another brought cross 
through his crotch, and for decency a soft skin is fastened 
before. 

Runtees are made of the conch shell as the peak is, only 
the shape is flat and round like a cheese, and drilled edge 
ways. 



CHAPTER II. 



OF THE MARRIAGES AMONGST THE INDIANS, AND MANAGE- 
MENT OF THEIR CHILDREN. 

§ 6. The Indians have their solemnities of marriage, and 
esteem the vows made at that time as most sacred and in- 
violable. Notwithstanding they allow both the man and the 
wife to part upon disagreement, yet so great is the disrepu- 
tation of a divorce, that married people, to avoid the char- 
acter of inconstant and ungenerous, very rarely let their 
quarrels proceed to a separation. However, when it does so 
happen, they reckon all the ties of matrimony dissolved, 
and each hath the liberty of mairying another. But infi- 
delity is accounted the most unpardonable of all crimes in 
either of the parties, as long as the contract continues. 

In these separations, the children go, according to the 
affection of the parent, with the one or the other ; for chil- 
dren are not reckoned a charge among them, but rather 
riches, according to the blessing of the Old Testament ; and 
if they happen to differ about dividing their children, their 
method is then to part them equally, allowing the man the 
first choice. 

§ 7. Though the young Indian women are said to prosti- 
tute their bodies for wampom peak, runtees, beads, and 
other such like fineries ; yet I never could find auy ground 
for the accusation, and believe it only to be an unjust 
scandal upon them. This I know, that if ever they have ' 
a child while they are single, it is such a disgrace to them 
that they never after get husbands. Besides, I must do 
them the justice to say, I never heard of a child any of 
them had before marriage, and the Indians themselves dis- 



134 OF MARRIAGES AND CHILDREN^ 

own any such custom ; though they acknowledge, at th© 
same time, that the maidens are entirely at their own dis- 
posal, and may manage their persons as they think fit. 

§ 8. The manner of the Indians treating their young 
children is very strange ; for instead of keeping them warm, 
at their first entry into the world, and wrapping them up, 
with I don't know how many clothes, according to our fond 
custom, the first thing they do is to clip the child over head 
and ears in cold water, and then to bind it naked to a con- 
venient board, having a hole fitly placed for evacuation ; but 
they always put cotton, wool, fur, or other soft things, for 
the body to rest easy on, between the child and the board. 
In this posture they keep it several months, till the bones 
begin to harden, the joints to knit, and the limbs to grow 
strong ; and then they let it loose from the board, suffering 
it to crawl about, except when they are feeding or playing 
with it. 

While the child is thus at the board, they either lay it 
flat on its back, or set it leaning on one end, or else hang 
it up by a string fastened to the upper end of the board for 
that purpose ; the child and board being all this while car- 
risd about together. As our women undress their children 
to clean and shift their linen, so they do theirs to wash and 
grease them. 

The method the women have of carrying their children 
after they are suffered to crawl about, is very particular ; 
they carry them at their backs in summer, taking one leg of 
the child under their arm, and the counter-arm of the child 
in their hand over their shoulder ; the other leg hanging 
down, and the child all the while holding fast with its 
other hand ; but in winter they carry them in the hollow of 
their match-coat at their back, leaving nothing but the 
child's head out, as appears by the figure. 



-W7^~ t 




CHAPTER III. 



OP THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS OF THE 

INDIANS. 

§ 9. The method of the Indian settlements is altogether 
by cohabitation, in townships, from fifty to five hundred 
families in a town, and each of these towns is commonly a 
kingdom. Sometimes one king has the command of several 
of these towns, when they happen to be united in his hands 
by descent or conquest ; but in such cases there is always a 
vicegerent appointed in the dependent town, who is at once 
governor, judge, chancellor, and has the same power and 
authority which the king himself has in the town where he 
resides. This viceroy is obliged to pay his principal some 
small tribute, as an acknowledgment of his submission, as 
likewise to follow him to his wars whenever he is required. 

§ 10. The manner the Indians have of building their 
houses is very slight and cheap. When they would erect a 
wigwam, which is the Indian name for a house, they stick 
saplins into the ground by one end, and bend the other at 
the top, fastening them together by strings made of fibrous 
roots, the rind of tiees, or of the green wood of the white 
oak, which will rive into thongs. The smallest sort of 
these cabins are conical like a bee-hive ; but the larger are 
built in an oblong form, and both are covered with the 
bark of trees, which will rive off into great flakes. Their 
windows are little holes left open for the passage of the 
light, which in bad weather they stop with shutters of the 
same bark, opening the leeward windows for air and light. 
Their chimney, as among the true born Irish, is a liitle 
hole on the top of the house, to let out the smoke, having 



136 OF THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS. 

no sort of funnel, or any thing within, to confine the smoke 
from ranging through the whole roof of the cabin, if the 
vent will not let it out fast enough. 'The fire is always 
made in the middle of the cabin. Their door is a pendent 
mat, when they are near home ; but when (hey go abroad 
they barricade it with great logs of wood set against the 
mat, which are sufficient to keep our wild beasts. There's 
never more than one room in a house, except in some 
houses of slate, or religion, where the partition is made only 
by mats and loose poles. 

§11. Their houses, or cabins, as we call them, are by 
this ill method of building continually smoky when they 
have fire in them ; but to ease that inconvenience, and to 
make the smoke less troublesome to their eyes, they gene- 
rally burn pine or lightwood, (that is, the fat knots of dead 
pine,) the smoke of which does not offend the eyes, but 
smuts the skin exceedingly, and is perhaps another occasion 
of the darkness of their complexion. 

§ 12. Their seats, like those in the eastern part of the 
world, are the ground itself ; and as the people of distinc- 
tion amongst those used carpets, so cleanliness has taught 
the better sort of these to spread match-coats and mats to 
ait on. 

They take up their lodging in the sides of their cabins 
upon a couch made of boards, sticks, or reeds, which are 
raised from the ground upon forks, and covered with mats 
or skins Sometimes they lie upon a bear skin, or other 
thick pelt dressed with the hair on, and laid upon the 
ground near a fire, covering themselves with their match- 
coats. In warm weather a single mat is their only bed, and 
another rolled up their pillow. In their travels, a grass plat 
under the covert of a shady tree, is all the lodging they re- 
quire, and is as pleasant and refreshing to them as a down 
bed and fine Holland sheets are to us. 

§ 13. Their fortifications consist only of a palisade, of 
about ten or twelve feet high ; and when they would make 
themselves very safe, they treble the pale. They often en- 



OF THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS. 137 

compass their whole town ; but for the most part only their 
king's houses, and as many others as they judge sufficient 
to harbor all their people when an enemy comes against 
ihem. They never fail to secure within their palisade all 
their religious relics, and the remains of their princes. With- 
in this inclosure, they likewise take care to have a supply 
of water, and to make a place for a fire, which they fre- 
quently dance round with great solemnity. 

18 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. 

§14. Their cookery has nothing- commendable in it, bat 
that it is performed with little trouble. They have no other 
sauce but a good stomach, which they seldom want. They 
boil, broil, or toast all the meat they eat, and it is very 
common with them to boil fish as well as flesh with their 
homony ; this is Indian corn soaked, broken in a mortar, 
husked, and then boiled in water over a gentle fire for ten 
or twelve hours, to the consistence of frumenty : the thin of 
this is what my Lord Bacon calls cream of maise, and 
highly commends for an excellent sort of nutriment. 

They have two ways of broiling, viz., one by laying the 
meat itself upon the coals, the other by laying it upon 
sticks raised upon forks at some distance above the live 
coals, which heats more gently, and dries up the gravy ; this 
they, and we also from them, call barbecueing. 

They skin and paunch all sorts of quadrupeds ; they draw 
and pluck their fowl ; but their fish they dress with their 
scales on, without gutting; but in eating they leave the 
scales, entrails and bones to be thrown away. They also 
roast their fish upon a hot hearth, covering them with hot 
ashes and coals, then lake them out, the scales and skin 
they strip clean off, so they eat the flesh, leaving the bones 
and entrails to be thrown away. 

They never serve up different sorts of victuals in one 
dish • as roast and boiled fish and flesh ; but always serve 
them up in several vessels. 

They bake their bread either in cakes before the fire, or 
in loaves on a warm hearth, covering the loaf first with 
leaves, then with warm ashes,- and afterwards with coals 
over all. 





x mm. 



'^^JL I 




«3 






OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. 



139 



Tab. IX. Represents the manner of their roasting and 
barbecueing, with the form of their baskets for common 
uses, and carrying fish. 

§15. Their food is fish and flesh of all sorts, and that 
which participates of both ; as the beaver, a small kind of 
tuille, or terrapins, (as we call them,) and several species of 
snakes. They likewise eat grubs, the nymphse of wasp.?, 
some kinds of scarabaM, cicadee, &c. These la-t are such 
as are sold in the markets of Fess, and such as the Aia- 
bians, Lybians, Parlhians and Ethiopians commonly eat ; so 
that these are not a new diet, though a very slender one ; 
and we are informed that St. John was dieted upon locusts 
and wild honey. 

They make excellent broth of the head and umbles of a 
deer, which they put into the pot all bloody. This seems 
to resemble the jus nigrum of the Spartans, made with (he 
blood and bowels of a hare. They eat not the brains with 
the head, but dry them and reserve them to dress their lea- 
ther with. 

They eat all sorts of peas, beans, and other pulse, both 
parched and boiled. They make their bread of the Indian 
corn, wild oats, or the seed of the sunflower. But when 
they eat their bread, they eat it alone, and not with their 
meat. 

They have no salt among them, but for seasoning use 
the ashes of hickory, stickweed, or some other wood or plant 
affording a salt ash. 

They delight much to feed on roasting ears ; that is, the 
Indian corn, gathered green and milky, before it is grown to 
its full bigness, and roasted before the fire in the ear. For 
the sake of this diet, which they love exceedingly, they are 
very careful to procure all the several sorts of Indian corn 
before mentioned, by which means they contrive to prolong 
their season. And indeed this is a very sweet and pleasing 
food . 

They have growing near their towns, peaches, strawber- 
ries, cushaws, melons, pompions, macocks, <fcc. The cu- 



140 



OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. 



shavvs and pompions they lay by, which will keep several 
months good after they are gathered ; the peaches they save 
by drying them in the sun ; they have likewise several sorts 
of the phaseoli. 

In the woods, they gather chinkapins, chestnuts, hickories 
and walnuts. The kernels of the hickories they beat in a 
mortar with water, and make a white liquor like milk, from 
whence they call our milk hickory. Hazlenuts they will 
not meddle with, though they make a shift with acorns 
sometimes, and eat all the other fruits mentioned before, but 
they never eat any sort of herbs or leaves. 

They make food of another fruit called cuttanimmons, the 
fruit of a kind of arum, growing in the marshes : they are 
like boiled peas or capers to look on, but of an insipid 
earthy taste. Captain Smith in his History of Virginia calls 
them ocaughtanamnis, and Theod. de Bry in his transla- 
tion, sacquenummener. 

Out of the ground they dig trubs, earth nuts, wild 
onions, and a tuberous root they call tuckahoe, which while 
crude is of a very hot and virulent quality : but they can 
manage it so, as in case of necessity, to make bread of it, 
just as the East Indians and those of Egypt are said to do 
of colocassia, or the West Indians of cassava. It grows like 
a flag in the miry marshes, having roots of the magnitude 
and taste of Irish potatoes, which are easy to be dug up. 

§ 16. They accustom themselves to no set meals, but eat 
night and day, when they have plenty of provisions, or if 
they have got any thing that is a rarity. They are very 
patient of hunger, when by any accident they happen to 
have nothing to eat ; which they make more easy to them- 
selves by girding up their bellies, just as the wild Arabs are 
said to do in their long marches ; by which means they are 
less sensible of the impressions of hunger. 

§17. Among all this variety of food, nature hath not 
taught them the use of any other drink than water ; which 
though they have in cool and pleasant springs every where, 
yet they will not drink that if they can get pond water, or 



OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. 141 

such as has been warmed by the sun and weather. Baron 
Lahontan tells of a sweet juice of maple, which the In- 
dians to the northward gave him, mingled with water ; but 
our Indians use no such drink. For their strong drink they 
are altogether beholden to us, and are so greedy of it, that 
most of them will be drunk as often as they find an oppor- 
tunity ; notwithstanding which it is a prevailing humor 
among them, not to taste any strong drink at all, unless 
they can get enough to make them quite drunk, and then 
they go as solemnly about it as if it were part of their 
religion. 

§ 18. Their fashion of sitting at meals is on a mat spread 
-on the ground, with their legs lying out at lengih before 
them, and the dish between their legs ; for which reason 
they seldom or never sit more than two together at a dish, 
who may with convenience mix their legs together and have 
the dish stand commodiously to them both, as appears by 
the figure. 

The spoons which they eat with do generally hold half a 
pint ; and they laugh at the English for using small ones, 
which they must be forced to carry so often to their mouths 
that their arms are in danger of being tired before their 
belly. 

Tab. X. Is a man and his wife at dinner. 

No. 1. Is their pot boiling with homony and fish in it. 

2. Is a bowl of corn, which they gather up in their fin- 
ders, to feed themselves. 

3. The tomahawk, which he lays by at dinner. 

4. His pocket, which is likewise stripped off, that he 
may be at full liberty. 

5. A fish. 

6. A heap of roasting ears. 

7. The gourd of water. 

8. A cockle shell, which they sometimes use instead of a 
spoon. 

9. The mat they sit on. 

All other matters in this figure are understood by the fore- 
going and following descriptions. 



Both ready for dressing. 



CHAPTEE V. 



OF THE TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OF 
THE INDIANS. 

§19. Their (ravels they perform altogether on foot, the 
fatigue of which they endure to admiration.. They make no 
other provision for their journey but their gun or bow, to 
supply them with food for many hundred miles together. 
If they carry any flesh in their marches, they barbecue \l T 
or rather dry it by degrees, at some distance over the clear 
coals of a wood fire ; just as the Charibees are said to pre- 
serve the bodies of their kings and great men from corrup- 
tion. Their sauce to this dry meat, (if they have any be- 
sides a good stomachy is only a little bear's oil, or oil of 
acorns ; which last they force out by boiling the acorns in 
a strong lye. Sometimes also in their travels each man 
takes with him a pint or quart of rockahomonie, that is, the 
finest Indian corn parched and beaten to powder. When 
they find their stomach empty, (and cannot stay for the te- 
dious cookery of other things,) they put about a spoonful of 
this into their mouths and drink a draught of water upon 
it, which stays their stomachs, and enables them to pursue 
their journey without delay. But their main dependence is 
upon the game they kill by the way, and the natural fruits 
of the earth. They take no care about lodging in these 
journeys, but content themselves with the shade of a tree 
or a little high grass. 

When they fear being discovered or followed by an ene- 
my in their marches, they every morning, having first 
greed where they shall rendezvous at night, disperse them- 
selves into the woods, and each takes a several way, that so 
he grass or leaves being but singly pressed, may rise again 



TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. 143 

and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in 
following a track, even where the impressions are not visi- 
ble to other people, especially if they have any advantage 
from the looseness of the earth, from the stiffness of the 
grass, or the Stirling of the leaves, which in the winter 
season lie very thick upon the ground ; and likewise after- 
wards, if they do not happen to be burned. 

When in their travels they meet with any waters which 
are not fordable, they make canoes of birch bark, by slip- 
ping it whole off the tree in this manner : First, they gash 
the bark quite round the tree, at the length they would 
have the canoe off, then slit down the length from end to 
end ; when that is done, they with their tomahawks easily 
open the bark and strip it whole off. Then they force it 
open with sticks in the middle, slope the under side of the 
ends and sow them up, which helps to keep the belly 
open ; or if the birch trees happen to be small they sow the 
bark of two together. The seams the daub with clay or 
mud, and then pass over in these canoes, by two, three, or 
more at a time, according as they are in bigness. By rea- 
son of the lightness of these boats, they can easily carry 
them over* land, if they foresee that they are like to meet 
with any more waters that may impede their march 5 or 
else they leave them at the water side, making no farther 
account of them, except it be to repass the same waters in 
their return. See the resemblance, Tab. G. 

§20. They have a peculiar way of receiving strangers, 
and distinguishing whether they come as friends or enemies, 
though they do not understand each other's language : and 
that is by a singular method of smoking tobacco, in which 
these things are always observed : 

1. They take a pipe much larger and bigger than the 
common tobacco pipe, expressly made for that purpose, with 
which all towns are plentifully provided ; they call them the 
pipes of peace. 

2. This pipe they always fill with tobaeco, before the 
face of the strangers, and light it. 



144 TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. 

3. The chief man of the Indians, to whom the strangers 
come, takes two or three whiffs, and then hands it to the 
chief of the strangers. 

4. If the stranger refuses to smoke in it, 'tis a sign of 
war. 

5. If it be peace, the chief of the strangers takes a whiff 
or two in the pipe, and presents it to the next great man 
of the town they come to visit ; he, after taking two or 
three whiffs, gives it back to the next of the strangers, and 
so on alternately, until they have past all the persons of 
note on each side, and then the ceremony is ended. 

After a little discourse, they march together in a friendly 
manner into the town, and then proceed to explain the busi- 
ness upon which they came. This method is as general a 
rule among all the Indians of those parts of America as the 
flag of truce is among the Europeans. And though the 
fashion of the pipe differ, as well as the ornaments of it, 
according to the humor of the several nations, yet 'tis a 
general rule to make these pipes remarkably bigger than 
those for common use, and to adorn them with beautiful 
wings and featheis of birds, as likewise with peak, beads, 
or other such foppery. Father Lewis Henepin gives a par- 
ticular description of one that he took notice of among the 
Indians upon the lakes wherein he traveled. He describes 
it by the name of the calumet of peace, and his words are 
these, Book I., chap. 24 : 

" This calumet is the most mysterious thing in the wot Id 
among the savages of the continent of the Northern Amer- 
ica ; for it is used in all their important transactions : how- 
ever, it is nothing else but a large tobacco pipe, made of 
red, black or white marble ; the head is finely polished, and 
the quill, which is commonly two feet and a half long, is 
made of a pretty strong reed or cane, adorned with feathers 
of all colors, interlaced with locks of women's hair. They 
tie it to two wings of the most curious birds they can find, 
which makes their calumet not much unlike Mercury's wand, 
or that staff ambassadors did formerly carry when they went 



TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. 145 

to treat of peace. They sheath that reed into the neck of 
birds they call huars, which are as big as our geese, and 
spotted with black and white ; or else of a sort of ducks, 
which make their nests upon trees, though the water be 
their ordinary element, and whose feathers be of many dif- ' 
ferent colors. However, every nation adorns their calumet 
as they think fit, according to their own genius, and the 
birds they have in their country. 

Such a pipe is a pass and safe conduct among all the 
allies of the nation who has given it. And in all embas- 
sies, the ambassador carries that calumet, as the symbol of 
peace, which is always respected : for the savages are gene- 
rally persuaded, that a great misfortune would befall them, 
if they violated the public faith of the calumet. 

" All their enterprises, declarations of war, or conclusions 
of peace, as well as all the rest of their ceremonies, are seal- 
ed, (if I may be permitted to say so,) with this calumet : 
They fill lhat pipe with the best tobacco they have, and 
then present it to those with whom they have concluded 
any great- affair, and smoke out of the same after them." 

In tab. 6, is seen the calumet of peace, drawn by La- 
hontan, and one of the sort which I have seen. 

§21. They have a remarkable way of entertaining all 
strangers of condition, which is performed after the follow- 
ing manner : First, the king or queen, wilh a guard and a 
great retinue, march out of the town, a quarter or half a 
mile, and carry mats for their accommodation. When they 
meet the strangers, they invite them to sit down upon those 
mats. Then they pass the ceremony of the pipe, and af- 
terwards, having spent about half an hour in grave dis- 
course, they get up, all together, and march into the town. 
Here the first compliment is to wash the courteous travel- 
er's feet ; then be is treated at a plentiful entertainment, 
served up by a great number of attendants ; after which he 
is diverted with antique Indian dances, performed both by 
men and women, and accompanied with great variety of 
wild music. At this rate he is regaled till bedtime, when 
19 






146 TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. 

a brace of young, beautiful virgins are chosen to wait upon 
him tbat night for his particular refreshment. These dam- 
sels are to undress this happy gentleman, and as soon as 
he is in bed, they gently lay themselves down by him, one 
on one side of him, and the other on the other. They 
Steem it a breach of hospitality, not to submit to everything 
lie desires of them. This kind ceremony is used only to 
men of great distinction — and the young women are so 
far from Buffering in their reputation for this civility, that 
they are envied for it. by all the other girls, as having had 
the greatest honor done them in the world. 

After this manner, perhaps, many of the heroes were be- 
gotten in old time, who boasted themselves to be the- sons 
of some wayfaring god. 



CHAPTER VI. 



OF THE LEASHING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS. 

§ 22. These Indians have no sort of letters to express 
their words by ; but when they would communicate any- 
thing that cannot be delivered by message, they do it by a 
tort of hieroglyphic, or representation of birds, beasts, or other 
things, shewing their different meaning by the various forms 
desciibed, and by the different position of the figures. 

Baron Lahontan, in his secor.d volume of New Voyages, 
has two extraordinary chapters concerning the heraldry and 
hieroglyphics of the Indians ; but I, having had no oppor- 
tunity of conversing with our Indians since that book came 
to my hands, nor having ever suspected them to be ac- 
quainted with heraldry, I am not able to say anything up- 
on that subject. 

The Indians, when they travel ever so small a way, being 
much embroiled in war one with another, use several marks 
painted upon their shoulders to distinguish themselves by, 
and show what nation they are of. The usual mark is one, 
two, or three arrows. One nation paints these arrows up- 
wards, another downwards, a third sidewavs — and others 
again use other distinctions, as in tab. 2, from whence it 
comes to pass, that the Virginia assembly took up the hu- 
mor of making badges of silver, copper or brass, of which 
they gave a sufficient number to each nation in amity with 
the English, and then made a law, that the Indians should 
not travel among the English plantations without one of 
these badges in their company, to show that they are 
friends. And thi3 is all the heraldry that I know is prac- 
ticed among the ^Indians. 



148 LEARNING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS. 

§23. Their languages differ very much, as anciently in 
the several parts of Britain ; so that nations at a moderate 
distance do not understand one another. However, they 
have a sort of general language, like what Lahontan calls 
the Algonkine, which is understood by the chief men of 
many nations, as Latin* is in most parts of Europe, and 
Lingua Franca quite through the Levant. 

The general language here used is said to be that of the 
Occaneeches, though they have been but a small nation 
ever 'since those parts were known to the English ; but in 
what this language may differ from that of the Algonkines, 
I am not able to determine. 



CHAPTER VII 



OF THE WAR, AND PEACE OF THE INDIANS. 

§ 24. When they are about to undertake any war or 
other solemn enterprise, the king summons a convention of 
his great men to assist at a grand council, which, in their 
language, is called a Matchacomoco. At these assemblies, 
'tis the custom, especially when a war is expected, for the 
young men to paint themselves irregularly with black, red, 
white, and several other motley colors, making one-half of 
their face red, (for instance,) and the other black or white, 
with great circles of a different hue round their eyes, with 
monstrous mustaches, and a thousand fantastical figures, all 
over the rest of their body ; and to make themselves appear 
yet more ugly and frightful, they strew feathers, down, or 
the hair of beasts upon the paint while it is still moist and 
capable of making those light substances stick fast on. 
When they are thus formidably equipped, they rush into 
the Matchacomoco, and instantly begin some very grotesque 
dance, holding their arrows or tomahawks in their hands, 
and all the while singing the ancient glories of their nation, 
and especially of their own families — threatening and mak- 
ing signs with their tomahawk what a dreadful havoc they 
intend to make amongst their enemies. 

Notwithstanding these terrible airs they give themselves, 
they are very timorous when they come to action, and rarely 
perform any open or bold feats ; but the execution they do 
is chiefly by surprise and ambuscade. 

§25. The fearfulness of their nature makes them very 
jealous and implacable. Hence it is, that when they get 



150 OF THE WAR, AND PEACE OF THE INDIANS. 

a victory, they destroy man, woman and child, to *prevent 
all future resentments. 

§26. I can't think it anything but their jealousy that 
makes them exclude the lineal issue from succeeding imme- 
diately to the crown. Thus, if a king have several legiti- 
mate children, the crown does not descend in a direct line 
to his children, but to his brother by the same mother, if 
he have any, and for want of such, to the children of his 
eldest sister, always respecting the descent by the female, 
as the surer side. But the crown goes to the male heir. (if 
any be) in equal degree, and for want of such, to the fe- 
male, preferably to any male that is more distant. 

§ 27. As in the beginning of a war, they have assemblies 
for consultation, so, upon any victory or other great success, 
they have public meetings again for processions and tri- 
umphs. I never saw one of these, but have heard that 
they are accompanied with all the marks of a wild and ex- 
travagant joy. 

Captain Smith gives the particulars of one that was made 
upon his being taken prisoner, and carried to their town. 
These are his words, vol. 1, page 159: 

" Drawing themselves all in file, the king in the midst 
had all their pieces and swords borne before him. Captain 
Smith was led after him by three great savages, holding 
him fast by each arm, and on each side six went in file, 
with their arrows nocked ; but arriving at the town, (which 
was but thirty or forty hunting houses made of mats, which 
they remove as often as they please, as we our tents,) all 
the women and children staring to behold him, the soldiers 
first, all in the file, performed the form of a bissom as well 
as could be, and on each flank officers as sergeants to see 
them keep their order. A good time they continued this 
exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dancing in 
such seveial postures, and singing and yelling out such hell- 
ish notes and screeches, being strangely painted, every one 
his quiver of arrows, and at his back a club, on his arm a 
fox or an otter's 6kin, or some such matter for his vam- 



OP THE WAR, AND PEACE OP THE INDIANS. 151 

brace ; iheir heads and shoulders painted red, with oil and 
puccoons mingled together, which scarlet-like color made 
an exceeding handsome show ; his bow in his hand, and 
the skin of a bird with the wings abroad dried, tied on his 
head ; a piece of copper, a white shell, a long feather, with 
a small rattle growing at the tails of their snakes, tied to it, 
or some such like toy. All this, while Smith and the king 
stood in the midst guarded, as before is said, and after 
three dances they all departed." 

I suppose here is something omitted, and that the conju- 
rer should have been introduced in his proper dress, as the 
sequel of the story seems to mean. 

§ 28. They use formal embassies for treating, and very 
ceremonious ways in concluding of peace, or else some other 
memorable action, such as burying a tomahawk, and rais- 
ing a heap of stones thereon, as the Hebrews were wont to 
do ; or of planting a tree, in token that all enmity is bu- 
ried with the tomahawk ; that all the desolations of war are 
at an end, and that friendship shall flourish among them 
like a tree. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CONCERNING THE RELIGION, WORSHIP, AND SUPERSTITIOUS 
CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS. 

§29. I don't pretend to have dived into all the mysteries 
of the Indian religion, nor have I had such opportunities 
of learning them as father Henepin and Baron Lahontan 
had, by living much among the Indians in their towns ; and 
because my rule is to say nothing but what I know to be 
truth, I shall be very brief upon this head. 

In the writings of those two gentlemen, I cannot but ob- 
serve direct contradictions, although they traveled the same 
country, and the accounts they pretend to give are of the 
same Indians. One makes them have very refined notions 
of a Deity, and the other don't allow them so much as the 
name of a God. For which reason, I think myself obliged 
sincerely to deliver what I can warrant to be true upon my 
own knowledge j it being neither my interest, nor any part 
of my vanity, to impose upon the world. 

I have been at several of the Indian towns, and con- 
versed with some of the most sensible of them in Virginia ; 
but I could learn little from them, it being reckoned sacri- 
lege to divulge the principles of their religion. However, 
the following adventure discovered something of it. As I 
was ranging the woods, with some other friends, we fell 
upon their quioccosan, (which is their house of religious 
worship,) at a time when the whole town were gathered to- 
gether in another place, to consult about the bounds of the 
land given them by the English. 

Thus finding ourselves masters of so fair an opportunity, 
(because we knew the Indians were engaged,) we resolved 
to make use of it, and to examine their quioccosan, the in- 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 153 

side of which they never suffer any Englishmen to see ; 
and having removed about fourteen logs from the door, 
with which it was barricaded, we went in, and at first 
found nothing but naked walls, and a fireplace in the mid- 
dle. This house was about eighteen feet wide, and thirty 
feet long, built after the manner of their other cabins, but 
larger, with a hole in the middle of the roof to vent the 
smoke, the door being at one end. Round about the 
house, at some distance from it, were set up posts, with 
faces carved on them, and painted. We did not observe 
any window or passage for the light, except the door and 
the vent of the chimney. At last we observed, that at the 
farther end, about ten feet of the room was cut off by a 
partition of very close mats, and it was dismal dark behind 
that partition. We were at first scrupulous to enter this 
obscure place, but at last we ventured, and, groping about, 
we felt some posts in the middle ; then reaching our hands 
up those posts, we found large shelves, and upon these 
shelves three mats, each of which was iolled up, and sowed 
fast. These we handed down to the light, and to save 
time in unlacing the seams, we made use of a knife, and 
ripped them, without doing any damage to the mats. In 
one of these we found some vast bones, which we judged 
to be the bones of men — particularly we measured one thigh- 
bone, and found it two feet nine inches long. In another 
mat we found some Indian tomahawks finely graved and 
painted. These. r'e?embled the wooden falchion used by the 
prize-fighters in England, except that they have no guard 
to save the fingers. They were made of a rough, heavy 
wood, and the shape of them is represented in the tab. 10, 
No. 3. Among these tomahawks, was the largest that ever I 
saw. There was fastened to it a wild turkey's beard painted 
red, and two of the longest feathers of his wings hung 
dangling at it, by a string of about six inches long, lied to 
the end of the tomahawk. In the third mat there was some- 
thing which we took to be their idol, though of an under- 
ling sort, and wanted putting together. The pieces were. 
20 



154 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

these — first, a board three feet and a half long, with one in- 
dent are at the upper end like a fork, to fasten the head 
upon. From thence half way down, were half hoops nailed 
to the edges of the board, at about four inches' distance, 
which were bowed out, to represent the breast and belly ; 
on the lower half was another board of half the length of 
the other, fastened to it by joints or pieces of wood, which 
being set on each side stood out about fourteen inches from 
the body, and half as high. We supposed the use of these to 
be for the bowing out of the knees, when the image was 
set up. There were packed up with these things, red and 
blue pieces of cotton cloth, rolls made up for arms, thighs 
and legs, bent too at (he knees, as is represented in the figure 
of their idol, which was taken by an exact drawer in the 
first discovery of the country. It would be difficult to see 
one of these images at this day, because ihe Indians are ex- 
treme shy of exposing them. We put the clothes upon the 
hoops for the body, and fastened on the arms and legs to 
have a view of the representation ; but the head and rich 
bracelets, which it is usually adorned with, were not there, 
or at least we did not find them. We had not leisure to 
make a very narrow search, for having spent about an hour 
in this enquiry, we feared the business of the Indians might 
be near over, and that if we staid longer, we might be 
caught offering an affront to their superstition. For this 
reason, we wrapt up those holy materials in their several 
mats again, and laid them on the shelf where we found 
them. This image, when dressed up, might look very ve- 
nerable in that dark place where 'tis not possible to see it, 
but by the glimmering light that is let in by lifting up a 
piece of the malting, which we observed to be conveniently 
hung for that purpose ; for when the light of the door and 
chimney glance in several directions upon the image through 
that little passage, it must needs make a strange represen- 
tation, which those poor people are taught to worship with 
a devout ignorance. There are other things that contribute 
towards carrying on this imposture. Frst, the chief conjurer 



Mr' ' % ■ . ; ■"" 1 




Jjith of rhtchim &r D uaaovant x\ichjw>Ti<LiV a - 

Wo/ valid , OKEEQUIOCCOS, or KIWASA . 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 155 

enters within the partition in the dark, and may undiscerned 
move the image as he pleases. Secondly, a priest of autho- 
rity stands in the room with the people, to keep them fiom 
being too inquisitive, under the penalty of the deity's dis- 
pleasure and his own censure. 

Their idol bears a several name in every nation, as Okee, 
Quioccos, Kiwasa. They do not look upon it as one sin- 
gle being, but reckon there are many of the same nature ; 
they likewise believe that there are tutelar deities in every 
town. 

Tab. II. Their idol in his tabernacle. 

The dark edging shows the sides and roof of the house, 
which consists of saplings and bark. The paler edging 
shows the mats, by which they make a partition of about 
ten feet at the end of the house for the idol's abode. The 
idol is set upon his seat of mats within a dark recess above 
the people's heads, and the curtain is drawn up before him. 

§ 30. Father Henepin, in his continuation, page 00, will 
not allow that the Indians have any belief of a Deity, nor 
that they are capable of the arguments and reasonings that 
are common to the rest of mankind. He farther says, that 
they have not any outward ceremony to denote their wor- 
ship of a Deity, nor have any word to express God by — 
that there's no sacrifice, priest, temple, or any other token 
of religion among them. Baron Lahontan, on the other 
hand, makes them have such refined notions, as seem al- 
most to confute his own belief of Christianity. 

The first I cannot believe, though written by the pen of 
that pious father ; because, to my own knowledge, all the 
Indians in these parts are a superstitious and idolatrous peo- 
ple ; and because all other authors, who have written of the 
American Indians, are against him. As to the oilier ac- 
count of the just thoughts the Indians have of religion, 1 
must humbly intreat the baron's pardon ; because I am very 
sure they have some unworthy conceptions of God and ano- 
ther world. Therefore, what that gentleman tells the pub- 
lic concerning them, is rather to show his own opinions, 
than those of the Indians. 



156 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

Once in my travels, in very cold weather, I met at an 
Englishman's house with an Indian, of whom an extraor- 
dinary character had been given me for his ingenuity and 
understanding. When I saw he had no other Indian with 
him, I thought I might be the more free ; and therefore I 
made much of him, seating him close by a large fire, and 
giving him plenty of strong cider, which I hoped would 
make him good company and open-hearted. After 1 found 
him well warmed, (for unless they be surprised some way 
or other, they will not talk freely of their religion,) I asked 
him concerning their god, and what their notions of him 
were? He freely told me, they believed God was univer- 
sally beneficent, that his dwelling was in the heavens above, 
and that the influences of his goodness reached to the earth 
beneath. That he was incomprehensible in his excellence, 
and enjoyed all possible felicity ; that his duration was 
eternal, his perfection boundless, and that he possesses ever- 
lasting indolence and ease. I told him I had heard that 
they worshipped the devil, and asked why they did not 
rather worship Gjd, whom they had so high an opinion of, 
and who would give them all good things, and protect them 
from any mischief that the devil could do them ? To this 
his answer was, that, 'tis true God is the giver of all good 
things, but they flow naturally and promiscuously from 
him ; that they are showered down upon all men indif- 
ferently without distinction ; that God does not trouble him- 
self with the impertinent affairs of men, nor is concerned at 
what they do ; but leaves them to make the most of their 
free will, and to secure as many as they can of the good 
things that flow from him ; that therefore it was to no pur- 
pose either to fear or worship him. But on the contrary, if 
they did not pacify the evil spirit, and make him propitious, 
lie would lake away or spoii all those good things that God 
had given, and ruin their health, their peace, and their 
plenty, by sending war, plague and famine among them ; 
for, said he, this evil spirit is always busying himself with our 
affairs, and frequently visiting us, being present in the air in 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 157 

the thunder, and in the storms. He told me farther, that he 
expected adoration and sacrifice from them, on pain of his 
displeasure, and that therefore they thought it convenient 
(o make their court to him. I then asked him concerning 
the image which they worship in their quioccasan, and as- 
sured him that it was a dead, insensible log, equipped with 
a bundle of clouts, a mere helpless thing made by men, 
that could neither hear, see nor speak, and that such a stu- 
pid thing could noways hurt or help them. To this he an- 
swered very unwillingly, and, with much hesitation ; how- 
ever, he at last delivered himself in these broken and jm. 
perfect sentences : It is the priests they make the peo- 
ple believe, and . Here he paused a little, and then 

repeated to me, that it was the priests , and then 

gave me hopes that he would have said something more ; 
but a qualm crossed his conscience, and hindered him from 
making any farther confession. 

§31. The priests and conjurers have a great sway in 
every nation. Their words are looked upon as oracles, and 
consequently are of great weight among the common peo- 
ple. They perform their adorations and conjurations in the 
general language before spoken of, as the catholics of all 
nations do their mass in the Latin. They teach that the 
souls of men survive their bodies, and that those who have 
done well here, enjoy most transporting pleasures in their 
elysium hereafter ; that this elysium is stored with the high- 
est perfection of all their earthly pleasures ; namely, with 
plenty of all sorts of game for hunting, fishing and fowling j 
that it is blest with the most charming women, who enjoy 
an eternal bloom, and have an universal desire to please ; 
that it is delivered from excesses of cold or heat, and 
flourishes with an everlasting spring. But that, on the con- 
trary, those who are wicked and live scandalously here, are 
condemned to a filthy, stinking lake after death, that con- 
tinually burns with flames that never extingush ; where they 
are persecuted and tormented day and night, with furies in 
the shape of old women. 



158 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

They use many divinations and enchantments, and fre- 
quently offer burnt sacrifice to (he evil spirit. The people 
annually present their first fruits of every season and kind, 
namely, of birds, beasts, fish, fruits, plants, roots, and of all 
other things, which they esteem either of profit or pleasure 
to themselves. They repeat their offerings as frequently as 
they have great successes in their wars, or their fishing, 
fowling or hunting. 

Captain Smith describes the particular manner of a con- 
juration that was made about him, while he was a prisoner 
among the Indians at the Pamunky town, in the first set- 
tlement of the country ; and after that I'll tell you of ano- 
ther of a more modern date, which I had fiom a very good 
hand. Smith's word's are these : vol. 1, p. 160. 

Early in the morning, a great fire was made in a long 
house, and a mat spread on the one side and on the other. 
On the one they caused him to sit, and all the guard went 
out of the house, and presently there came skipping in a 
great grim fellow, all painted over with coal mingled with 
oil, and many snakes and weasel skins stuffed with moss, 
and all their tails tied together, so as they met in the crown 
of his head, like a tassel, and round about the tassel was a 
coronet of feathers, the skins hanging round about his 
head, back and shoulders, and in a manner covering his 
face ; with a hellish voice, and a rattle in his hand, with 
most strange gestures and postures, he began his invocation, 
and environed the fire with a circle of meal ; which done, 
three much such like devils came rushing in with the like 
antic tricks, painted half black, half red ; but all their eyes 
were painted white, and some great strokes like mustaches, 
along their cheeks. Round about him these fiends danced 
a pretty while ; and then came in three more as ugly as 
the rest, with red eyes and white strokes over their black 
faces. At last they all sat down right against him, three of 
them on one hand of the chief priest and three on the other. 
Then all of them with their rattles began a song ; which 
ended, the chief priest laid down five wheat corns ; then 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 159 

Straining his arms and hands with such violence that he 
sweat, and his veins swelled, he began a short oration. At 
the conclusion they gave a short groan, and then laid down 
three grains more ; after that, began their song again, and 
then another oration, ever laying down so many corns as 
before, till (hey had twice encircled the fire. That done, 
they took a bunch of little sticks prepared for that purpose, 
continuing still their devotion, and at the end of every song 
and oration, they laid down a stick betwixt the divisions 
of corn. Till night neither he nor they did eat or drink, 
and then they feasted merrily wilh the provisions they could 
make. Three days they used this ceremony, the mean- 
ing whereof they told him was to know if he intended 
them well or no. The circle of meal signified their coun- 
try, the circles of corn the bounds of the sea, and the sticks 
his country. They imagined the world to be fiat and round 
like a trencher, and they in the midst." 

Thus far is Smith's story of conjuration concerning him- 
self; but when he says they encircled the fire wilh wheat, 
I am apt to believe he means their Indian corn, which 
some, contrary to the custom of the rest of mankind will 
still call by the name of Indian wheat. 

The latter story of conjuration is this: Some few years 
ago, there happened a very dry time towards the heads of 
the rivers, and especially on the upper parts of James river, 
where Col. Byrd had several quarters of negroes. This 
gentleman has been for a long time extremely respected and 
feared by all the Indians round about, who, without know- 
ing the name* of any governor, have ever been kept in or- 
der by him. During this drought, an Indian, well known 
to one of the Colonel's overseers, came to him, and ask- 
ed if his tobacco was not like to be spoiled? The over- 
seer answered yes, if they had not rain very suddenly 
The Indian, who pretended great kindness for his master, 
told the overseer if he would promise to give him two 
bottles of rum, he would bring him rain enough. The 
overseer did not believe anything of the matter, not see- 



160 RELIGION; WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

ing at that time the least appearance of rain, nor so much 
as a cloud in (he sky ; however, he promised to give him 
the rum when his master came thither, if he would be as 
good as his word. Upon this, the Indian went immediately 
a pauwawing as they call it, and in about half an hour, 
there came up a black cloud into the sky that showered 
down rain enough upon this gentleman's corn and tobacco, 
but none at all upon any of the neighbors, except a few 
drops of the skirts of the shower. The Indian for that 
time went away without returning to the overseer again, 
till he heard of his master's arrival at the falls, and then 
he came to him and demanded the two bottles of rum. 
The Colonel at first seemed to know nothing of the mat- 
ter, and asked the Indian for what reason he made that 
demand ? (Although his overseer had been so overjoyed 
at what had happened that he could not rest till he had 
taken a horse and rode near forty miles to tell his mas- 
ter the story.) The Indian answered with some concern, 
that he hoped the overseer had let him know the ser- 
vice he had done him, by bringing a shower of rain to 
save his crop. At this the Colonel, not being apt to be- 
lieve such stories, smiled, and told him he was a cheat, 
and had seen the cloud acoming, otherwise he could nei- 
ther have brought the rain nor so much as foretold it. 
The Indian at this, seeming much troubled, replied, why 
then had not such a one, and such a one, (naming the 
next neighbor,) rain, as well as your overseer? for they lost 
their crops, but I loved you and therefore I saved yours. 
The Colonel made sport with him a little yhile, but in 
the end ordered him the two bottles of rum, letting him 
undestand, however, that it was a free gift, and not the 
consequence of any bargain with his overseer. 

§ 32. The Indians have their altars and places of sacri- 
fice. Some say they now and then sacrifice young chil- 
dren ; but they deny it, and assure us, that when they 
withdraw their children, it is not to sacrifice them, but to 
consecrate them to the service of their god. Smith tells 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 161 

of one of these sacrifices in his time, from the testimony of 
some people who had been eye-witnesses. His words are 
these, (vol. 1, p. 140) : 

" Fifteen of the propcrest young boys, between ten and 
fifteen years of age, they painted while ; having brought 
them forth, the people spent the forenoon in dancing and 
singing about them with rattles. In the afternoon, they put 
these children to the root of a tree. By them all the men 
stood in a guard, every one having a bastinado in his hand, 
made of reeds bound together. They made a lane between 
them all along, through which there were appointed five 
young men to fetch these children : so every one of the 
five went thiough the guard to fetch a child each after other 
by turns ; the guard fiercely beating them with their bas- 
tinadoes, and they patiently enduring and receiving all, de- 
fending the children with their naked bodies from the un- 
merciful blows, that pay them soundly, though the chil- 
dren escape. All this while the women weep and cry out 
very passionately, providing mats, skins, moss and dry 
wood, as things fitting for their children's funeral. After 
the children were thus past the guard, the guards tore down 
the tree, branches and boughs with such violence, that they 
rent the body, made wreaths for their heads, and bedecked 
their hair with the leaves. 

"What else was done with the children was not seen; 
but they were all cast on a heap in a valley as dead, wheie 
they made a great feast for all the company. 

"The Werowance being demanded the meaning of this sa- 
crifice, answered, that the children were not dead, but that 
the Okee or devil did suck the blood from the left breast of 
those, who chanced to be his by lot, till they were dead ; 
but (he rest were kept in the wilderness by the young men, 
till nine months were expired, during which time they must 
not converse with any ; and of these were made their priests 
and conjurers." 

How fat Captain Smith might be misinformed in this ac- 
count, I can't say, or whether their Okee's sucking the 



162 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

breast, be only a delusion or pretence of the physician, (or 
priest, who is always a physician,) to prevent all reflection 
on his skill when any happened to die under his discipline. 
This I choose rather to believe, than those religious ro- 
mances concerning their Okee. For I take this story of 
Smith's to be only an example of huskanawing, which be- 
ing a ceremony then altogether unknown to him, he might 
easily mistake some of the circumstances of it. 

The solemnity of huskanawing is commonly practiced 
once every fourteen or sixteen years, or oftener, as their 
young men happen to grow up. It is an institution or dis- 
cipline which all young men must pass before they can be 
admitted to be of the number of the great men, officers, or 
cockarouses of the nation ; whereas, by Capt. Smith's rela- 
tion, they were only set apart to supply the priesthood. The 
whole ceremony of huskanawing is performed after the fol- 
lowing manner : 

The choicest and briskest young men of the town, and 
such only as have acquired some treasure by their travels 
and hunting, are chosen out by the rulers to be huska- 
nawed ; and whoever refuses to undergo this process dares 
not remain among them. Several of those odd preparatory 
fopperies are premised in the beginning, which have been 
before related ; but. the principal part of the business is, to 
carry them into the woods, and there keep them under 
confinement, and destitute of all society for several months, 
giving them no other sustenance but the infusion, or decoc- 
tion, of some poisonous, intoxicating roots; by virtue of 
which physic, and by the severity of the discipline which they 
undergo, they became stark, staring mad ; in which raving 
condition, they are kept eighteen or twenty days. During 
these extremities, they are shut up, night and day, in a 
strong inclosure, made on purpose ; one of which I saw be- 
longing to the Pamunky Indians, in the year 1694. It was 
in shape like a sugar loaf, and every way open like a lat- 
tice for the air to pass through, as in tab. 4, fig. 3. In this 
cage, thirteen young men had been huskanawed, and had 



RELIGION, WORSH P AND CUSTOMS. 163 



not been a month set at liberty when 1 saw it. Upon this 
occasion, it is pretended that these poor creatures drink so much 
of that water of Lethe, that they perfectly lose the remem- 
brance of all former things, even of their parenls, their treasure, 
and their language. When the doctors find that they have 
drank sufficiently of the wysoccan, (so they call this mad po- 
tion,) they gradually restore them to their senses again, by les- 
sening the intoxication of their diet ; but before they are per- 
fectly well, they bring them back into their towns, while 
they are still wild and crazy, through the violence of the 
medicine. After this, they are very fearful of discovering any- 
thing of their formei remembrance ; for if such a thing 
should happen to any of them, they must immediately be 
huskanawed again ; and the second time, the usage is so 
severe, that seldom any one escapes with life. Thus they 
must pretend to have forgot the veiy use of their tongues, 
so as not to be able to speak, nor understand anything that 
is spoken, till they learn it again. Now, whether this be 
real or counterfeit, I dont know ; but certain it is, that they 
will not for some time take notice of any body, nor any- 
thing with which they were before acquainted, being still 
under the guard of their keepers, who constantly wait upon 
them everywhere till they have learnt all things perfectly 
over again. Thus they unlive their former lives, and com- 
mence men by forgetting that they ever have been boys. If, 
under this exercise, any one should die, I suppose the story 
of Okee, mentioned by Smith, is the salvo for it ; for, (says 
he) Okee was to have such as were his by lot, and such 
were said to be sacrificed. 

Now this conjecture is the more probable, because we 
know that Okee has not a share in every huskanawitm ; 
for though two young men happened to come short home, 
in that of the Pamunky Indians, which was performed in 
the year 1694, yet the Appomaltoxs, formerly a great na- 
tion, though now an inconsiderable people, made a huska- 
naw in the Year 1690, and brought home the same num- 
ber they carried out. 



104 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

§ 33. I can account no other way for the great pains and 
secrecy of the keepers, during the whole process of this dis- 
cipline, but by assuring you, that it is the most meritorious 
thing in the world to discharge that trust well, in order to 
their preferment to the greatest posts in the nation, which 
they claim as their undoubted right, in the next promo- 
tion. On the other hand, they are sure of a speedy pass- 
port into the other world, if they should, by their levity or 
neglect, shew themselves in the least unfaithful. 

Those which I have observed to have been huskanawed, 
were lively, handsome, well timbered young men, from fif- 
teen to twenty years of age, or upward, and such as were 
generally reputed rich. 

I confess, I judged it at the first sight to be only an in- 
vention of the seniors, to engross the young men's riches to 
themselves ; for, after suffering this operation, they never 
pretended to call to mind anything of their former property ; 
but their goods were either shared by the old men, or brought 
to some public use ; and so those younkers were obliged 
to begin the world again. 

But the Indians detest this opinion, and pretend that this 
violent method of taking away the memory, is to release 
the youth from all their childish impressions, and from that 
strong partiality to persons and things, which is contracted 
before reason comes to take place. They hope by this pro- 
ceeding, to root out all the prepossessions and unreasona- 
ble prejudices which are fixed in the minds of children. So 
that, when the young men come to themselves again, their 
reason may act freely, without being biased by the cheats 
of custom and education. Thus, also, they become dis- 
charged from the remembrance of any ties by blood, and 
are established in a state of equality and perfect freedom, 
to order their actions, and dispose of their persons, as they 
think fit, without any other control than that of the 
law of nature. By this means also they become qualified, 
when they have any public office, equally and impartially 
to administer justice, without having respect either to friend 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 



165 



or relation. Pufiend. p. 7, book I. A proselyte of justice 
of the Jews had a new soul. 

§34. The Indians offer sacrifice almost upon every new 
occasion ; as when they travel or begin a long journey, they 
burn tobacco instead of incense, to the sun, to bribe him to 
send them fair weather, and a prosperous voyage. When 
they cross any great water, or violent fresh, or torrent, they 
throw in tobacco, puccoon, peak, or some other valuable 
thing, that they happen to have about them, to intreat the 
spirit presiding there to grant them a safe passage. It is call- 
ed a fresh,' when after very great rains, or (as we suppose) 
after a great thaw of the snow and ice lying upon the 
mountains to the westward, the water descends in such abun- 
dance into the rivers, that they overflow the banks, which 
bound their streams at other times. 

Likewise, when the Indians return from war, from hunt- 
ing, from great jcumeys or the like, they offer some propor- 
tion of their spoils, of their chiefest tobacco, furs and paint, 
as also the fat, and choice bits of their game" 

§35. I never could learn that they had any certain 
time or set days for their solemnities ; but they have ap- 
pointed feasts that happen according to the several seasons. 
They solemnize a day for the plentiful coming of their 
wild fowl, such as geese, ducks, teal, &c, for the returns 
of their hunting seasons, and for the ripening of certain 
fruits ; but the greatest annual feast they have, is at the 
lime of their corn-gathering, at which they revel several 
days together. To these they universally contribute, as 
they do to the gathering in the corn. On this occasion, 
they have their greatest variety of pastimes, and more es- 
pecially of their war-dances and heroic songs ; in which 
they boast, that their corn being now gathered, they have 
store enough for their women and children, and have 
nothing to do, but to go to war, travel, and to seek out 
for new adventures. 

§ 36. They make their account by units, tens, hun- 
dreds, &c, as we do ; but they reckon the years by the 



166 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

winters, or cobonks, as they call them ; which rs a name 
taken from the note of the wild-geese, intimating so many 
times of (he wild geese coming to them, which is every 
winter. They distinguish the several parts of the year, 
by five seasons, viz : the budding or blossoming of the 
spring ; the earing of the corn, or roasting- ear time ; the 
summer, or highest sun ; the corn-gathering or fall of the 
leaf, and the winter, or cobonks. They count the months 
likewise by the moons, though not with any relation to 
so many in a year, as we do ; but they make them re- 
turn again by the same name, as the moon of stags, the 
corn moon, the first and second moon of cobonks, &c. 
They have no distinction of the hours of the day, but 
divide it. only into three parts, the rise, power, and low- 
ering of the sun. And they keep their account by knots 
on a string, or notches on a stick, not unlike the Peruvian 
quippoes. 

§37. In this state of nature, one would think they 
should be as pure from superstition, and overdoing matters 
in religion, as they are in other things ; but I find it is 
quite the contrary ; for this simplicity gives the cunning 
priest a greater advantage over them, according to the Romish 
maxim, " Ignorance is the mother of devotion.'''' For, 
no bigotted pilgrim appears more zealous, or strains his 
devotion more at the shrine, than these believing Indians 
do, in their idolatrous adorations. Neither do the most 
refined Catholics undergo their pennance with so much sub- 
mission, as these poor Pagans do the severities which their 
priests inflict upon them. 

They have likewise in other cases many fond and idle 
superstitions, as for the purpose. By the falls of James 
river upon Colonel Byrd's land, there lies a rock which I 
have seen, about a mile from the river, wherein are fairly 
imprest several marks like the footsteps of a gigantic man, 
each step being about five feet asunder. These they aver 
to be the track of their God. 

This is not unlike what the fathers of the Romish 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 1CT 

Church tell us, that our Lord left (he print of His fee 
on the stone, whereon he stood while he talked with Si 
Peter; which stone was afterward preserved as a very sacre 
relic; and after several translations, was at last fixed in the 
Church of St. Sebastian, the martyr, where it is kept, and 
visited with great expressions of devotion. So that the In 
dians, as well as these, are not without their pious frauds 

§38. As the people have a great reverence for the priest, 
so the priest very oddly endeavours to preserve their respect, 
by being as hideously ugly as he can, especially when he 
appears in public ; for besides, that the cut of his hair is 
peculiar to his function, as in tab. 4, book 3, and the 
hanging of his cloak, with the fur reversed and falling- 
down in flakes, looks horridly shagged, he likewise bedaubs 
himself in that frightful manner with paint, that he terri- 
fies the people into a veneration for him. 

The conjuror is a partner with the priest, not only in 
the cheat, but in the advantages of it, and sometimes they 
officiate for one another. When this artist is in the act 
of conjuration, or of pauwaicing, as they term it, he 
always appears with an air of haste, or else in some con- 
vulsive posture, (hat seems to strain all the faculties, like 
the Sybils, when they appeared to be under the power of 
inspiration. At these times, he has a black bird with ex- 
panded wings fastened to his ear, differing in nothing but 
color, from Mahomet's pigeon. He has no clothing but 
a small skin before, and a pocket at his girdle, as in tab. 
4, book 3. 

The Indians never go about any considerable enterprise, 
without first consulting their priests and conjurers ; for the 
most ingenious amongst them are brought up to those func- 
tions, and by that means become better instructed in their 
histories, than the rest of ihe people. They likewise engross 
to themselves all the knowledge of nature, which is hand- 
ed to them by tradition from their forefathers; by which 
means they are able to make a truer judgment of things, 
and consequently aie more capable of advising those that 



168 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 



consult them upon all occasions. These reverend gentle- 
men are not so entirely given up to their religious auste- 
rities, but they sometimes lake their pleasure (as well as 
the laity) in fishing, fowling and hunting. 

§ 39. The Indians have posts fixed round their Quioc- 
cassan, which have men's faces carved upon them, and 
are painted. They are likewise set up round some of 
their other celebrated places, and make a circle for them 
to dance about on certain solemn occasions. They very of- 
ten set up pyramidal stones and pillars, which they color 
with puccoon, and other sorts of paint, and which they 
adorn with peak, roenoke, &c. To these they pay all 
outward signs of worship and devotion, not as to God, 
but as they are hieroglyphics of the permanency and im- 
mutability of the Deity ; because these, both for figure 
and substance, are of all sublunary bodies, the least sub- 
ject to decay or change ; they also, for the same reason, 
keep baskets of stones in their cabins. Upon this account 
too, they offer sacrifice to running streams, which by the 
perpetuity of their motion, typify the eternity of God. 

They erect altars wherever they have any remarkable oc- 
casion, and because their principal devotion consists in sa- 
crifice, they have a profound respect for these altars. They 
have one particular altar, to which, for some mystical rea- 
son, many of their nations pay an extraordinary veneration ; 
of this sort was the crystal cube, mentioned book II, chap. 
3, § 9. The Indians call this by the name of pawcorance, 
from whence proceeds the great reverence they have for a 
small bird that uses the woods, and in their note continu- 
ally sound that name. This bird flies alone, and is only 
heard in the twilight. They say, this is the soul of one 
of their princes ; and on that score, they would not hurt 
it for the world. But there was once a profane Indian in 
the upper parts of James river, who, after abundance of 
fears and scruples, was at last bribed to kill one of them 
with his gun ; but the Indians say he paid dear for his pre- 



RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 



169 



sumption ; for in a few days after lie was taken away, and 
never more heard of. I have young birds of this kind. 

When they travel by any of these altars, they take great 
care to instruct their children and young people in the par- 
ticular occasion and time of their erection, and recommend 
the respect which they ought to have for them ; so that 
their careful observance of these traditions proves almost as 
good a memorial of such antiquities as written records, 
especially for so long as the same people continue to inhabit 
in or near the same place. 

I can't understand that their women ever pretended to in- 
termeddle with any offices that relate to the priesthood or 
conjuration. 

§ 40. The Indians are religious in preserving the corpses 
of their kings and rulers after death, which they order in 
the following manner : First, they neatly flay off the skin as 
entire as they can, slitting it only in the back ; then they 
pick all the flesh off from the bones as clean as possible, 
leaving the sinews fastened to the bones, that they may 
preserve the joints together-; then they dry the bones in 
the sun, and put them into the skin again, which, in the 
meantime, has been kept from drying or shrinking ; when 
the bones a r e placed right in the skin, they nicely fill 
up the vacuities with a very fine white sand. After this 
they sew up the skin again, and the body looks as if the 
flesh had not been removed. They take care to keep the 
skin from shrinking, by the help of a little oil or grease, 
which saves it also from corruption. The skin being 
thus prepared, they lay it in an apartment fot that pur- 
pose, upon a large shelf raised above the floor. This shelf 
is spread with mats, for the corpse to rest easy on, and 
skreened with the same, to keep it from the dust. The 
flesh they lay upon hurdles in the sun to dry, and when 
it is thoroughly dried, it is sewed up in a basket, and set 
at the feet of the corpse, to which it belongs. In this 
place also they set up a quioccos, or idol, which they be- 
lieve will be a guard to the corpse. Here night and day 
22 



170 RELIGION, WORSHIP AND CUSTOMS. 

one or other of the priests must give his attendance, to take 
care of the dead bodies. So great an honor and veneration 
have these ignorant and unpolished people for their princes, 
even after ihey are dead. 

The mat is supposed to be turned up in the figure, 
that the inside may be viewed. 

Tab. 12. Represents the burial of the kings. 




fafc 72 Boole J l*aa !J0 



CHAPTEE IX. 



OF THE DISEASES AND CURES OF THE INDIANS. 

§41. The Indians are not subject to many diseases ; and 
such as they have, generally come from excessive heats and 
sudden colds, which they as suddenly get away by sweat- 
ing. But if the humor happen to fix, and make a pain 
in any particular joint, or limb, their general cure then is 
by burning, if it be in any part that will bear it ; their 
method of doing this is by little sticks of lightwood, the coal 
of which will burn like a hot iron ; the sharp point of this 
they run into the flesh, and having made a sore, keep it 
running till the humor be drawn off ; or else they take 
punk, (which is a sort of soft touchwood, cut out of the 
knots of oak or hickory trees, but the hickory affords the 
best,) this they shape like a cone, (as the Japanese do their 
moxa for the gout,) and apply the basis of it to the place 
affected. Then they set fire to it, letting it burn out upon 
the part, which makes a running sore effectually. 

They use sucking in sores frequently, and scarifying, 
which, like the Mexicans, they perform with a rattlesnake's 
tooth. They seldom cut deeper than (be epidermis, by 
which means they give passage to those sharp waterish 
humors that lie between the two skins, and cause inflam- 
mations. Sometimes they make use of reeds for cauterizing, 
which they heat over the fire, till they are ready to flame, 
and then apply them upon a piece of thin wet leather to 
the place aggrieved, which makes the heat more piercing. 

Their piiests are always physicians, and by the method 
of their education in (he priesthood, are made very know- 
ing L in the hidden qualities of plants and other natural 



172 DISEASES AND CURES OP THE INDIANS. 

things, which they count a part of their religion to conceal 
from everybody, but from those that are to succeed them 
in their holy function. They tell us their god will be 
angry with them if they should discover that part of their 
knowledge ; so they suffer only the rattlesnake root to be 
known, and such other antidotes, as must be immediately 
applied, because their doctors can't be always at hand 
to remedy those sudden misfortunes which generally hap- 
pen in their hunting or traveling. 

They call their physic wisoccan, not from the name of 
any particular root or plant, but as it signifies medicine in 
general. So that Hetiot, De Bry, Smith, Purchass and De 
Laet, seem all to be mistaken in the meaning of this word 
wighsacan, which they make to be the name of a particular 
root ; and so is Parkinson in the word woghsacan, which he 
will have to be the name of a plant. Nor do I think 
there is belter authority for applying the word wisank to 
the plant vincetoxicum indianum germanicum, or winank 
to the sassafras tree. 

The physic of the Indians consists for the most part in 
the roots and barks of trees, they very rarely using the 
leaves either of herbs or trees ; what they give inwardly, 
they infuse in water, and what they apply outwardly, they 
stamp or bruise, adding water to it, if it has not moisture 
enough of itself ; with the thin of this they bath the part 
affected, then lay on the thick, after the manner of a 
poultice, and commonly dress round, leaving the sore place 
bare. 

§ 42. They take great delight in sweating, and there- 
fore in every town they have a sweating house, and a 
doctor is paid by the public to attend it. They commonly 
use this to refresh themselves, after they have been fatigued 
with hunting, travel, or the like, or else when they are 
troubled with agues, aches, or pains in their limbs. Their 
method is thus : the doctor takes three or four large stones, 
which after having heated red hot, he places them in the 
middle of the stove, laying on them some of the inner bark 



DISEASES AND CURES OF THE INDIANS. 173 

of oak beaten in a mortar, to keep them from burning. 
This being done, they creep in six or eight al a time, or 
as many as the place will hold, and then close up the 
mouth of the stove, which is usually made like an oven, 
in some bank near the water side. In ihe meanwhile 
the doctor to raise a steam, after they have been stewing 
a little while, pours cold water on the stones, and now 
and then sprinkles the men to keep them from fainting. 
After they have sweat as long as they can well endure it, 
(hey sally out, and (though it be in the depth of winler) 
forthwith plunge themselves over head and ears in cold wa- 
ter, which instantly closes up the pores, and preserves them 
fiom taking cold. The heat being thus suddenly driven 
from the extreme parts to the heart, makes them a little 
feeble for the present, but their spirits rally again, and 
they instantly recover their strength, and find their joints 
as supple and vigorous as if they never had traveled, or 
been indisposed. So that I may say as Bellonius does in 
his observations on the Turkish bagnio's, all the crudities 
contracted in their bodies are by this means evaporated 
and carried off. The Muscovites and Finlanders are said 
to use this way of sweating also. " It is almost a mira- 
cle," says Olearius, " to see how their bodies, accustomed 
to and hardened by cold, can endure so intense a heat, and 
how that when they are not able to endure it longer, 
they come out of the stoves as naked as they were born, 
both men and women, and plunge into cold water, or cause 
it to be poured on them." Trav. into Muse, 1, 3, page 07. 
The Indians also pulverize the roots of a kind of anchuse, 
or yellow alkanet, which they call puccoon, and of a sort of 
wild angelica, and mixing them together with bear's oil, 
make a yellow ointment, with which, after they have 
bathed, they anoint themselves Capapee ; this supples the 
skin, renders them nimble and active, and withal so closes 
up the pores, that they lose but few of their spirits bv 
perspiration. Piso relates the same of the Brazilians ; and 
my Lord Bacon asserts, that oil and fat things do no less 



174 DISEASES AND CURES OF THE INDIANS. 

conserve (he substance of the body, than oil-colors and var- 
nish do that of the wood. 

They have also a farther advantage of this ointment ; 
for it keeps all lice, fleas, and other troublesome vermine 
from coming near them ; which otherwise, by reason of the 
nastiness of their cabins, they would be very much infested 
with. 

Smith talks of this puccoon, as if it only grew on the 
mountains, whereas it is common to all the plantations of 
the English, now on the land frontiers. 



CHAPTER X. 



OF THE SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE INDIANS. 

§43. Their sports and pastimes are singing - , dancing, in- 
strumental music, and some boisterous plays, which are per- 
formed by running, catching and leaping upon one another ; 
they have also one great diversion, to the practicing of 
which are requisite whole handfuls of little sticks or hard 
straws, which they know how to count as fast as they can 
cast their eyes upon them, and can handle with a surprising 
dexterity. 

Their singing is not the most charming that I have 
heard ; it consists much in exalting the voice, and is full of 
slow melancholy accents. However, I must allow even this 
music to contain some wild notes that are agreeable. 

Their dancing is performed either by few or a great com- 
pany, but without much regard either to time or figure. 
The first of these is by one or two persons, or at most by 
three. In the meanwhile, the company sit about them in a 
ring upon the ground, singing outrageously and shaking 
their rattles. The dancers sometimes sing, and sometimes 
look menacing and terrible, beating their feet furiously 
against the ground, and shewing ten thousand grimaces and 
distortions. The other is performed by a great number of 
people, the dancers themselves forming a ring, and moving 
round a circle of carved posts, that are set up for that pur- 
pose ; or else round a fire, made in a convenient part of 
the town ; and then each has his rattle in his hand, or 
what other thing he fancies most, as his bow and arrows, or 
his tomahawk. They also dress themselves up with branches 
of trees, or some other strange accoutrements. Thus they 



176 SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE INDIANS. 

proceed, dancing and singing, with all the antic postures 
they can invent ; and he's the bravest fellow that has the 
most prodigious gestures. Sometimes they place three young 
women in the middle of the circle, as you may see in the 
figure. 

Tab. 13. Represents a solemn festival dance of the In- 
dians round their carved posts. 

Those which on each side are hopping upon their hams, 
take that way of coming up to the ring, and when they 
find an opportunity strike in among the rest. 

Captain Smith relates the particulars of a dance made for 
his entertainment, by Pocahontas, daughter of the emperor 
Powhatan, to divert him till her father came, who hap- 
pened not to be at home when Smith arrived at his town. 
Gen. Hist., p. 194. 

" In a fair plain field they made a fire, before which he 
sat down upon a mat, when suddenly amongst the woods 
was heard such a hideous noise and shrieking, that the En- 
glish betook themselves to their arms, and seized on two or 
three old men by them, supposing Powhatan with all his 
power was coming to surprise them. But presently Poca- 
hontas came, willing him to kill her, if any hurt were in- 
tended ; and the beholders, which were men, women and 
children, satisfied the captain that there was no such matter. 
Then presently they were presented with this antic 5 thirty 
young women came naked out of the woods, only covered 
behind and before with a few green leaves, their bodies all 
painted, some of one color, some of another, but all differ- 
ing ; their leader had a fair pair of buck's horns on her 
head, an otter's skin at her girdle, another at her arm, a 
quiver of arrows at her back, and a bow and arrows in her* 
hand. The next had in her hand a sword, another a club, 
another a potstick ; all of them being horned alike : the 
rest were all set out with their several devices. These 
fiends, with most hellish shouts and cries, rushing from 
among the trees, cast themselves in a ring about the fire, 
singing and dancing with most excellent ill variety, oft 



SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE INDIANS. 177 

falling into their infernal passions, and then solemnly be- 
taking themselves again to sing and dance ; having spent an 
hour in this mascarado, as they entered, in like manner 
they departed." 

They have a fire made constantly every night, at a con- 
venient place in the town, whither all that have a mind to 
be merry, at the public dance or music, resort in the eve- 
ning. 

Their musical instruments are chiefly drums and rattles : 
their drums are made of a skin, stretched over an earthen 
pot half full of water. Their rattles are the shell of a 
small gourd, or macock of the creeping kind, and not of 
those called callibaches, which grow upon trees ; of which 
the Brazilians make their maraka, or tamaraka, a sort of 
rattle also, as Clusius seems to intimate. 



23 



CHAPTER XI. 



OF THE LAWS, AND AUTHORITY OF THE INDIANS AMONG 
ONE ANOTHER. 

§44. The Indians having no sort of letters among 
them, as has been before observed, they can have no writ- 
ten laws ; nor did the constitution in which we found them 
seem to need many. Nature and their own convenience 
having taught them to obey one chief, who is arbiter of all 
things among them. They claim no property in lands, but 
they are in common to a whole nation. Every one hunts 
and fishes, and gathers fruits in all places. Their labor in 
tending corn, pornpions, melons, &c, is not so great, that 
they need quarrel for room, where, the land is so fertile, 
and where so much lies uncultivated. 

They bred no sort of cattle, nor had anything that could 
be called riches. They valued skins and furs for use, and 
peak and roenoke for ornament. 

They are very severe in punishing ill breeding, of which 
every Werowance is undisputed judge, who never fails to 
lay a rigorous penalty upon it : an example whereof I had 
from a gentleman that was an eye-witness ; which was this : 

In the time of Bacon's rebellion, one of these Werowan- 
ces, attended by several others of his nation, was treating 
with the English in New Kent county about a peace ; and 
during the time of his speech, one of his attendants pre- 
sumed to interrupt him, which he resented as the most un- 
pardonable affront that could be offered him ; and therefore 
he instantly took his tomahawk from his girdle and split the 
fellow's head for his presumption. The poor fellow dying 
immediately upon the spot, he commanded some of his men 



LAWS AND AUTHORITY OF THE INDIANS. 179 

to carry him out, and went on again with his speech where 
he left off, as unconcerned as if nothing had happened. 

The Indians never forget nor forgive an injury, till satis- 
faction be given, be it national or personal : but it becomes 
the business of their whole lives ; and even after that, the 
revenge is entailed upon their posterity, till full reparation 
be made. 

§ 45. The titles of honor that I have observed among 
them peculiar to themselves, are only Cockarouse and We- 
rowance, besides that of the king and queen ; but of late 
they have borrowed some titles from us, which they bestow 
among themselves. A Cockarouse is one that has the honor 
to be of the king or queen's council, with relation to the 
affairs of the government, and has a great share in the ad- 
ministration. A Werowance is a military officer, who of 
course takes upon him the command of all parties, either of 
hunting, traveling, warring, or the like, and the word signi- 
fies a war-captain. 

The priests and conjurers are also of great authority, the 
people having recourse to them for counsel and direction 
upon all occasions ; by which means, and by help of the 
first fruits and frequent offerings, they riot in the fat of the 
land, and grow rich upon the spoils of (heir ignorant coun- 
trymen. 

They have also people of a rank inferior to the com- 
mons, a sort of servants among them. These are called 
black boys, and are attendant upon the gentry, to do their 
servile offices, which, in their state of nature, are not many. 
For they live barely up to the present relief of their neces- 
sities, and make all things easy and comfortable to them- 
selves, by the indulgence of a kind climate, without toiling 
and perplexing their minds for riches, which other people 
often trouble themselves to provide for uncertain and un- 
grateful heirs. In short, they seem as possessing nothing, 
and yet enjoying all things. 



CHAP TEE XII. 



OF THE TREASURE OR RICHES OF THE INDIANS. 

§ 46. The Indians had nothing which they reckoned 
riches, before the English went among them, except peak, 
roenoke, and such like trifles made out of the conch shell. 
These past with them instead of gold and silver, and served 
them both for money and ornament. It was the English 
alone that taught them first to put a value on their skin3 
and furs, and to make a trade of them. 

Peak is of two sorts, or rather of two colors, for both 
are made of one shell, though of different parts ; one is a 
dark purple cylinder, and the other a white ; they are both 
made in size and figure alike, and commonly much resem- 
bling the English bugles, but not so transparent nor so 
brittle. They are wrought as smooth as glass, being one 
third of an inch long, and about a quarter diameter, strung 
by a hole drilled through the centre. The dark color is the 
dearest, and distinguished by the name of wampom peak. 
The Englishmen that are called Indian traders, value the 
wampom peak at eighteen pence per yard, and the white 
peak at nine pence. The Indians also make pipes of this, 
two or three inches long, and thicker than ordinary, which 
are much more valuable. They also make runtees of the 
small shell, and grind them as smooth as peak. These are 
either large like an oval bead, and drilled the length of the 
oval, or else they are circular and flat, almost an inch over, 
and one third of an inch thick, and drilled edgeways. Of 
this shell they also make round tablets of about four inches 
diameter, which they polish as smooth as the other, and 
sometimes they etch or grave thereon circles, stars, a half 



TREASURE OR RICHES OF THE INDIANS. 181 

moon, or any other figure suitable to their fancy. These 
they wear instead of medals before or behind their neck, 
and use the peak, runtees and pipes for coronets, bracelets, 
belts, or long strings hanging down before the breast, or 
else they lace their garments with them, and adorn their 
tomahawks, and every other thing that they value. 

They have also another sort which is as current among 
them, but of far less value ; and this is made of the cockle 
shell, broken into small bits with rough edges, drilled 
through in the same manner as beads, and this they call 
roenoke, and use it as the peak. 

These sorts of money have their rates set upon them as 
unalterable, and current as the values of out money are. 

The Indians have likewise some pearl amongst them, and 
formerly had many more, but where they got them is un- 
certain, except they found them in the oyster banks, which 
are frequent in this country. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



OP THE HANDICRAFTS OP THE INDIANS. 

§ 47. Before I finish my account of the Indians, it will 
not be amiss to inform you, that when the English went 
first among them, they had no sort of iron or steel instru- 
ments ; but their knives were either sharpened reeds or 
shells, and their axes sharp stones, bound to the end of a 
stick, and glued in with turpentine. By the help of these, 
they made their bows of the locust tree, an excessive hard 
wood when it is dry, but much more easily cut when it 
is green, of which they always took the advantage. They 
made their arrows of reeds or small wands, which needed 
no other cutting, but in the length, being otherwise ready 
for notching, feathering and heading. They fledged their 
arrows with turkey feathers, which they fastened with glue 
made of the velvet horns of a deer ; but it has not that 
quality it's said to have, of holding against all weathers ; 
they arm'd the heads with a white transparent stone, like 
that of Mexico mentioned by Peter Martyr, of which they 
have many rocks ; they also headed them with the spurs 
of the wild turkey cock. 

They rubbed fire out of particular sorts of wood (as the 
ancients did out of the ivy and bays) by turning the end 
of a hard piece upon the side of a piece that is soft and 
dry, like a spindle on its inke, by which it heats, and at 
length burns ; to this they put sometimes also rotten wood 
and dry leaves, to hasten the work. 

§ 48. Under the disadvantage of such tools they made a 
shift to fell vast great trees, and clear the land of wood 
in places where they had occasion. 

They bring down a great tree by making a small fire 




Lh x - 1 1 







iff 










■J 




"Si 



HANDICRAFTS OF THE INDIANS. IS3 

round the root, and keeping the flame from running up- 
ward, until they burn away so much of the basis ; that the 
least puff of wind throws it down. When it is prostrate, 
they burn it off to what length they would have it, and 
with their stone tomahawks break off all the bark, which 
when the sap runs will easily strip, and at other times 
also, if it be well warmed with fire. When it is brought to 
a due length, they raise it upon a bed to a convenient 
height for their working, and then begin by gentle fires 
to hollow it, and with scrapers rake the trunk, and turn 
away the fire from one place to another, till they have 
deepened the belly of it to their desire. Thus also they 
shape the ends, till they have made it a fit vessel for 
crossing the water, and this they call a canoe, one of 
which I have seen thirty feet long. 

When they wanted any land to be cleared of the woods, 
they chopped a notch round the trees quite through the 
bark with their stone hatchets or tomahawks, and that 
deadened the trees, so that they sprouted no more, but in 
a few years fell down. However, the ground was plant- 
able, and would produce immediately upon the withering of 
the trees. But now for all these uses they employ axes 
and little hatchets, which they buy of the English. The 
occasions aforementioned, and the building of their cabins, 
are still the greatest use they have for these utensils, be- 
cause they trouble not themselves with any other sort of 
handicraft, to which such tools are necessary. Their house- 
hold utensils are baskets made of silk grass, gourds, which 
grow to the shapes they desire them, and earthen pots to 
boil victuals in, which they make of clay. 

Tab. 14. Shows their manner of felling great trees (be- 
fore they had iron instruments) by firing the root, and 
bringing them to fit lengths, and shaping them for use by 
fire alone. 

The Indians of Virginia are almost wasted, but such 
towns or people as retain their names and live in bodies 
are hereunder set down, all which together can't raise five 



1S4 HANDICRAFTS OP THE INDIANS. 

hundred fighting men. They live poorly, and much in 
fear of the neighboring Indians. Each town, by the arti- 
cles of peace, 1G77, pays three Indian arrows for their 
land, and twenty beaver skins for protection every year. 

In Accoinac are eight towns, viz: 

Metomkin is much decreased of late by the small pox, 
that was carried thither. 

Gingoteague. The few remains of this town are joined 
with a nation of the Maryland Indians. 

Kiequotank is reduced to very few men. 

Matchopungo has a small number yet living. 

Occahanock has a small number yet living. 

Pungoteague. Governed by a queen, but a small nation. 

Onancock has but four or five families. 

Chiconessex has very few, who just keep the name. 

Nanduye. A seat of the empress. Not above twenty fa- 
milies, but she hath ail the nations of this shore under 
tribute. 

In Northampton, Gangascoe, which is almost as numerous 
as all the foregoing nations put together. 

In Prince George Wyanoke is extinct. 

In Charles City Appomattox is extinct. 

In Surry. Nottawayes, which are about a hundred bow- 
men, of late a thriving and increasing people. 

By Nansemond. Meherrin has about thirty bowmen, 
who keep at a stand. 

Nansemond. About thirty bowmen. They have in- 
creased much of late. 

In King William's county two. Pamunky has about 
forty bowmen, who decrease. 

Chickahominy, which had about sixteen bowmen, but 
lately increased. 

In Essex. Rappahannock extinct. 

In Richmond. Port Tobacco extinct. 

In Northumberland. Wiccomocca has but few men 
living, which yet keep up their kingdom and retain their 
fashion, yet live by themselves, separate from all other 
Indians, and from the English. 



HANDICRAFTS OK THE INDIANS. 185 

§ 49. Thus I have given a succinct account of the In- 
dians ; happy, I think, in their simple state of nature, 
and in their enjoyment of plenty, without the curse of 
labor. They have on several accounts reason to lament 
the arrival of the Europeans, by whose means they seem 
to have lost their felicity as well as their innocence. 
The English have taken away great part of their country, 
and consequently made everything less plentiful amongst 
them. They have introduced drunkenness and luxury 
amongst them, which have multiplied their wants, and 
put them upon desiring a thousand things they never 
dreamt of before. I have been the more concise in my 
account of this harmless people, because I have inserted 
several figures, which 1 hope have both supplied the de- 
fect of words, and rendered the descriptions more clear. 
I shall, in the next place, proceed to treat of Virginia as 
it is now improved, (I should rather say altered,) by the 
English, and of its presftnt constitution and settlement. 



24 



OP THE 

PRESENT STATE OF VIRGINIA 



AS THIS BOOK MUST CONSIST OF TWO PARTS, FIRST, THE POLITY 

OF THE GOVERNMENT ; SECONDLY, THE HUSBANDRY AND 

IMPROVEMENTS OF THE COUNTRY; I SHALL 

HANDLE THEM SEPARATELY. 



BOOK IT. 



PART f. 



OF THE CIVIL POLITY AND GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA. 



CHAPTER I. 



OF THE CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. 

§1. I have already hinted, that the first settlement of 
this country was under the direction of a company of mer- 
chants incorporated. 

That the first constitution of government appointed by 
them was a president and council, which council was nom- 
inated by the corporation or company in London, and the 
president annually chosen by the people in Virginia. 

That in the year 1610, this constitution was altered, and 
the company obtained a new grant of his majesty ; whereby 



. STITt TION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. 187 

they ihemselves had the nomination of the governor, who 
was obliged to act only by advice in council. 

That in the year 1620, an assembly of burgesses was first 
called, from all the inhabited parts of the country, who sat 
in consultation with the governor and council, for settling 
the public affairs of the plantation. 

That when the company was dissolved, the king con- 
tinued the same method of government, by a governor, 
council and burgesses ; which three being united were called 
the general assembly. 

That this general assembly debated all the weighty affairs 
of the colony, and enacted laws for the better government 
of the people ; and the governor and council were to put 
them in execution. 

That the governor and council were appoiuted by the 
king, and the assembly chosen by the people. 

Afterwards the governor had a more extensive power put 
inio his hands, so that his assent in all affairs become abso- 
lutely necessary ; yet was he still bound to act by advice of 
council in many things. 

Until the rebellion 1676, the governor had no power to 
suspend the counsellors, nor to remove any of them from 
the council board. 

Then a power was given him of suspending them, but 
with proviso, that he gave substantial reasons for so doing ; 
and was answerable to his majesty for the truth of the ac- 
cusation. 

Then also this model of government by a governor, 
council and assembly, was confirmed to them with a far- 
ther clause, that if the governor should happen to die, or 
be removed, and no other person in the country nomina- 
ted by the crown to supply his place, then the president, 
or eldest councillor, with the assistance of any five of the 
council, should take upon him the administration of the 
government, all which are authorized by commission and 
instructions to the governor. 

Before the year 1680, the council sat in (he same house 



1SS CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. 

wilh the burgesses of assembly, much resembling the mo- 
del of the Scotch parliament ; and the Lord Colepepper, 
taking advantage of some disputes among them, procured 
the council to sit apart from the assembly ; and so they 
became two distinct houses, in imitation of the two houses 
of parliament in England, the lords and commons ; and 
so is the constitution at this day. 

§ 2. The governor is appointed by the crown ; his com- 
mission is under seal, and runs during pleasure. 

He represents the king's person there in all things, and 
is subject to his instructions. 

His assent is necessary to the laws, agreed upon by the 
council and assembly ; without it no law can be made. 

His test (o all laws so assented to is also requisite. 

He calls assemblies by advice of council, but prorogues 
or dissolves them without. 

He calls and presides in all councils of State, and hath 
his negative there also. 4 

He appoints commissioners of county courts for the ad- 
ministration of justice, by consent of council. 

He grants commissions to all officers of the militia, under 
the degree of a lieutenant general, (which title he bears 
himself,) as he thinks fit. 

. He orders and disposes the militia for the defence of the 
country. 

He tests proclamations. 

He disposes of the unpatented land according to the char- 
ter, the laws of that country, and his instructions ; for which 
end, and for other public occasions, the seal of the colony 
is committed to his keeping. 

All issues of the public revenue must bear his test. 

And by virtue of a commission from the admiralty he is 
made vice-admiral. 

The governor's salary, till within these forty-five years 
last past, was no more than a thousand pounds a year ; be- 
sides which, he had about five hundred more in perquisites. 
Indeed, the general assembly, by a public act, made an 



CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. 189 

addition of two hundred pounds a year to Sir William 
Berkeley in particular, out of the great respect and esteem 
they bore to that gentleman, who had been a long time a 
good and just governor ; and who had laid out the greatest 
part of his revenue in experiments, for the advantage and 
improvement of the country ; and .who had, besides, suf- 
fered extremely in the time of the usurpation. But this 
addition was to determine with his government. 

Sir William Berkeley, after the short interval of Jeffery's 
and Chichley's being deputy-governors, was succeeded by 
the Lord Colepepper, who, under pretence of his being a 
peer of England, obtained of King Charles II. a salary 
of two thousand pounds, besides one hundred and sixty 
pounds a year for house rent, because there was no house 
appointed by the country for the governor's reception. This 
salary has continued ever since, to the succeeding governors. 

If the administration of the government happen to fall 
into the hands of the president and council, there is then 
usually allowed to the president, the addition of five hun- 
dred pounds a year only ; and to the council, no more than 
what is given them at other times. 

§ 3. The gentlemen of the council are appointed by letter 
or instruction from his majesty, which says no more, but 
that they be sworn of the council. 

The number of the counsellors when complete, is twelve ; 
and if at anytime, by death or removal, there happen to 
be fewer than nine residing in the country, then the gov- 
ernor has power to appoint and swear into the council, such 
of the gentlemen of the country as he shall think fit to 
make up that number, without expecting any direction from 
England. 

The business of the council, is to advise and assist the 
governor in all important matters of government, which he 
shall consult them in. 

In the general assembly, the council make the upper 
house, and claim an entire negative voir.- u> nil laws, ■•> 
the house of lords in England 



190 CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. 

The salary of the council is in all but three hundred 
and fifty pounds per annum, to be proportioned among 
them according to their attendance on general courts and 
assemblies. 

§ 4. The burgesses of assembly are elected, and returned 
from all parts of the ctfuntry, viz : from each county, two ; 
and from James City, one ; and from the college, one ; 
which make up in all sixty burgesses. They are convened 
by writs issued from the secretary's office, under the seal 
of the colony, and ihe test of the governor. These are 
directed to the sheriff of each county respectively, and 
ought to bear date at least forty days before the return. 
The freeholders are the only electors, and wherever they 
have a freehold (if they be not women, or under age, or 
aliens) they have a vote in the election. The method of 
summoning the freeholders, is by publication of the writ, 
together with the day appointed by the sheriff for election, 
at every church and chapel in the county, two several Sun- 
days successively. The election is concluded by plurality 
of voices ; and if either party be dissatisfied, or thinks he 
has not fair treatment, he may demand a copy of the poll, 
and upon application to the house of burgesses, shall have 
his complaint inquired into. But to prevent undue elec- 
tions, many acts have been there made, agreeably to some 
lately enacted in England. 

The first business of a convention, by the governor's 
direction, is to make choice of a speaker, and to present 
him in full house to the governor. Upon this occasion, 
the speaker, in the name of the house, petitions the gover- 
nor to confirm the usual liberties and privileges of assembly, 
namely, access to his person whenever they shall have 
occasion ; a freedom of speech and debate in the house, 
without being farther accountable ; a protection of their per- 
sons, and their servants from arrest, &c. And these being 
granted by the governor, and the cause of their meeting 
declared by him, (hey proceed to do business, choosing 
committees, and in other things imitating as near as they 



CONSTITUTION OP GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. 191 

can the method of the honorable house of commons in 
England. 

The aws having duly passed the house of burgesses, the 
council, and the governor's assent, they are transmitted to 
the king by the next shipping for his approbation, his ma- 
jesty having another negative voice. But they immediately 
become laws, and are in force upon the governor's first 
passing them, and so remain if his majesty don't actually 
repeal them, although he be not pleased to declare his 
royal assent, one way or other. 

There are no appointed times for their convention, but 
they are called together whenever the exigencies of the 
country make it necessary, or his majesty is pleased to order 
anything to be proposed to them. 



CHAPTER II 



OP THE SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA. 

§ 5. The country is divided into twenty-nine counties, 
and the counties, as they are in bigness, into fewer or more 
parishes, as they are filled with inhabitants. 

The method of bounding the counties is at this time 
with respect to the convenience of having each county lim- 
ited to one single river, for its trade and shipping, so that 
any one whose concerns are altogether in one county, may 
not be obliged to seek his freight and shipping in more 
than one river. Whereas at first, they were bounded with 
respect to the circuit, and the propinquity of the extremes 
to one common centre, by which means one county reached 
then quite across a neck of land from river to river. But 
this way of bounding the counties being found more incon- 
venient than the other, it was changed by a law into what 
it is now. 

Besides this division into counties and parishes, there are 
two other subdivisions, which are subject to the rules and 
alterations made by the county courts, namely : into pre- 
cincts or burroughs, for the limits of constables ; and into 
precincts or walks, for the surveyors of highways. 

§ 6. There is another division of the country into necks 
of land, which are the boundaries of the escheators, viz : 

1. The northern neck between Potomac and Rappahan- 
nock rivers. This is the proprietary in the Lord Colepep- 
per's family. 



SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA. 193 

2. The neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, 
within which Pamunky neck is included. 

3. The neck between York and James rivers. 

4. The lands on the south side of James river. 

5. The land oji the eastern shore ; in all, five divisions. 
Each of which has its particular escheat-master. 

In the northern neck are contained six counties. I. Lan- 
caster, viz : in which are two parishes, viz : Christ Church, 
and Saint Mary White Chapel. 2. Northumberland, two 
parishes, viz : Fairfield and Boutracy, and Wiccocornoco. 
3. Westmoreland, two parishes, viz : Copely and Washing- 
ton. 4. Stafford, two parishes, viz : Saint Paul and Over- 
worton. 5. Richmond, one parish, viz : North Farnham, 
and part of another, viz : Sittenburn. 6. King George 
county, one parish, viz : Hanover, the other part of Sit- 
tenburn. 

In the neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, are 
contained six other counties, viz : 

1. Gloucester, in which are four parishes, viz: Pesso, 
Abingdon, Ware and Kingston. 2. Middlesex, only one 
parish, viz : Christ Church. 3. King and Queen, two 
parishes, viz : Stratton Major, Saint Stephen. 4. King- 
William, two parishes, viz : Saint John and Saint Mar- 
garet. 5. Essex, three parishes, viz : South Farnham, 
Saint Anne, Saint Mary. 6. Spottsylvania, one parish, 
viz : Saint George- 

In the neck between York and James rivei, there are 
seven counties and part of an eighth. The seven entire 
counties are: 1. Elizabeth City, in which is only one 
parish, named also Elizabeth City parish. 2. The War- 
wick, in which are two parishes, viz : Uenby, Mulberry 
Island. 3. York, in which are two parishes, viz : Charles 
and Yorkhampton, and part of a third called Braton. 4. 
James City, in which are three parishes and part of two 
others, viz: James City, part of Wilmington, Merchants' 
Hundred, and the other half of Braton. 5. New Kent, 
two parishes, viz : Blisland, and Saint Peter. 6. Chaile? 



194 SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA* 

City, two parishes, viz : Westover, and part of Wilmington. 
7. Hanover, one parish, viz : Saint Paul. And 8. Part 
of Henrico county, on the north side of James river, by 
which river the parishes are also divided, there being two 
parishes in the whole county, viz t Henrico and Saint 
James, and part of a third called Bristol. 

On the south side James river are seven counties, and 
the other part of Henrico. The seven counties, beginning 
at the bay as I have done in all the rest are, viz : 1. 
Princess Anne, in which is but one parish, viz : Lynhaven. 
2. Norfolk, also one parish, called Elizabeth River. 3. 
Nansemond, in which are three parishes, viz : Lower Parish, 
Upper Parish, Chickaluck. 4. Isle of Wight, in which 
are two parishes, viz : Warwick Squeeke Bay, and New- 
port. 5. Surry, two parishes, viz : Lyon's Creek, South- 
walk. 6. Prince George, in which is one parish, vizi 
Martin Brandon, and the other part of Bristol Parish, in 
Henrico. 7. Brunswick, a new county constituted towards 
the southern pass of the mountains, on purpose that by 
extraordinary encouragements the settlements may send up 
that way first, as is given also to Spottsylvania county for 
the northern pass. It is made one parish, by the name of 
Saint Andrew. 

On the eastern shore, that is, on the east side the great 
bay of Chesapeake, the place where Sir William Berkeley 
retired to in the rebellion, without withdrawing from his 
government, (as Mr. Oldmixon declares he did) are two 
counties. I. Northampton, having one parish, named Hun- 
gers. 2. Accomac, having one parish, named also Acco- 
mac. 

In all there are at present twenty-nine counties, and 
fifty-four parishes. 

§ 7. There is yet another division of the country into 
districts, according to the rivers, with respect to the shipping 
and navigation. These are the bounds appointed for the 
naval officers, and collectors of the public duties, and are 
as follows ; 



SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA. 195 

1. The upper parts of James river, from Hog island 
upwards. 

2. The lower parts of James river, from Hog island 
downwards to the capes, and round Point Comfort to Back 
river. 

3. York, Poquoson, Mobjack bay, and Piankatank 
livers. ' 

4. Rappahannock river. 

5. Potomac river. 

6. Pocomoke, and the other parts on the eastern, made 
formerly two districts, but they are now united into one. 



CHAPTEE III. 



OF THE PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT. 

^ S. Besides the governor and council aforementioned- 
there are three other general officers in that colony bearing 
his majesty's immediate commission, viz : the auditor of 
the revenue, the receiver general of it, and the secretary of 
state. 

The auditor's business is to audit the accounts ©f the 
public money of the government, and duly to transmit the 
state of them to England. Such as the quitrents, the 
money arising by the two shillings per hogshead, fort duties, 
the fines and forfeitures, and the profit of escheats and 
rights of land. His salary is six per cent of all the public 
money. The present auditor is John Giimes, esq. 

The receiver general is to sell the public tobacco, collect 
and receive the money, make the account thereof, and pay 
it out again by the king's order. His salary is also six per 
cent. The present receiver general is James Roscow, esq. 

The secretary's business is to keep the public records of 
the country, and to take care that they be regularly and 
fairly made, up, viz: all judgments of the general court, 
as likewise all deeds, and other writings there proved; and 
farther, to issue all writs, both ministerial and judicial, re- 
lating thereto. To make out and record all patents for 
land, and to take the return of all inquests of escheats. 

In his office is kept a register of all commissions of 
administration, and probates of wills granted throughout 
the colony ; as also of all births, burials, marriages, and 
persons that go out of the country, of all houses of public 
entertainment, and of all public officers in the country, and 



PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT. 1 1 .*7 

of many other things proper to be kept in so general an 
office. 

From this office are likewise issued all writs for choosing 
of burgesses, and in it. are filed authentic copies of all proc- 
lamations. 

The present secretary is Thomas Ficket, esq. 

The secretary's income arises from fees for all business 
done in his office, which come (communibus atmis) to about 
seventy thousand pounds tobacco per annum, out of which 
he pays twelve thousand five hundred, and cask, to the 
clerks. His other perquisites proceed out of the acknow- 
ledgments paid him annually by the county clerks, and are 
besides about forty thousand pounds of tobacco and cask. 

^ 9. There are two other general officers in the country 
who do not receive their commission and authority imme- 
diately from the crown, and those are: 1. The ecclesiasti- 
cal commissary, viz : the Rev. James Blair, authorized by 
the .right reverend lather in God, the lord bishop of London, 
ordinary of all the plantations. 2. The country's treasurer, 
viz : the Hon. Petes Beverley, esq., authorized by (he gen- 
eral assembly. 

The commissary's business is to make visitations of 
cl uuches and have the inspection of the clergy. He is 
allowed one hundred-pounds per annum out of the quitrents. 

The treasurer's business is to receive the money from the 
several collectors, and to make up the accounts of the 
duties raised by some late acts of assembly for extraordi- 
nary occasions. His salary is six per cent, of all money 
passing through his hande. 

These are all the general officers belonging to that gov- 
ernment, except the court of admiralty, which has no 
standing officer. The present judge of the admiralty is John 
Clayton, esq. 

§ 10. The other public commission officers in the govern- 
ment, (except those of the militia, for whom a chapter is 
reserved,) are escheators, naval officers, collectors, clerks of 
courts, sheriffs of- counties, surveyors of land, and coroners. 



19S PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT. 

The escheators have their precincts or bounds, according 
to the several necks of land ; for their profits, they demand 
five pound for each inquest taken, being paid only as bu- 
siness happens. 

The naval officers have their bounds according to the dis- 
tricts on the rivers, and so have the collectors. The profits 
of the first arise from large fees, upon the entering and 
clearing of all ships and vessels. The collectors have each 
a salary out of the treasury in England of forty pounds, 
sixty pounds, or an hundied pounds, according to their seve- 
ral districts, they being appointed by the honorable commis- 
sioners of the customs in England, pursuant to the statute 
made in the twenty-fifth year of King Charles the second ; 
and have, moreover, salaries of twenty per cent, on all the 
duties they collect, by virtue of the same statute, and also 
large fees for every entry and clearing. 

The naval officers' other profits, are ten per cent, for all 
moneys by them received ; both on the two shillings per 
hogshead, port duties, skins and furs, and also on the new 
imposts on servants and liquors when such duty is in being. 

The clerks of courts, sheriffs and surveyors, are limited 
according to the several counties. The clerks of courts 
receive their commissions from the secretary of State ; the 
sheriffs theirs from the governor, apd the surveyors of 
land theirs from the governors of the college, in whom the 
office of surveyor general is vested by their charter. 

The clerks' profits proceed from stated fees, upon all law 
suits and business in their respective courts, except the 
clerk of the general court, who is paid a salary by the 
secretary, who takes the fees of that court to himself. 

The sheriff's profit is likewise by fees on all business 
done in the county courts, to which he is the ministerial 
officer, and not judge of the county court, as Mr. Old- 
mixon styles him, page 298; but the best of his income 
is by a salary of all public tobacco, which is constantly 
put into the sheriff's hands, to be collected and put into 
hundreds, convenient for the market. JHe has likewise 



PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT. 199 

several other advantages, which make his place very profit- 
able. 

The profits of the surveyors of land are according to the 
trouble they take. Their fees being proportioned to the 
surveys they make. 

The coroner is a commissioner officer also, but his profits 
aie not worth naming, though he has large fees allowed 
him when he does any business. There are two or more 
of them appointed in each parish, as occasion requires ; 
but in the vacancy or absence of any, upon an exigency, 
the next justice of peace does the business and receives 
the fee, which is one hundred and thirty-three pounds of 
tobacco for an inquest on a dead corpse, any other busi- 
ness seldom falling in his way. 

§ 11. There are other ministerial officers that have no 
commission ; which are, surveyors of the highways, con- 
stables and headboroughs. These are appointed, relieved 
and altered annually by the county courts, as they see oc- 
casion ; and such bounds are given them as those courts 
think most convenient. 



CHAPTEK IT. 



OF THE STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS IN VlK- 

GINIA. 

§ 12. There are five sorts of standing public revenues in 
that country, viz : 1 . A rent reserved by the ciown upon 
all the lands granted by patent. 2. A revenue granted 
to his majesty by act of assembly, for the support and main- 
tenance of the government. 3. A revenue raised by the 
assembly, and kept in their own disposal, for extraordinary 
occasions. 4. A revenue raised by the assembly, and 
granted to the college. And 5. A revenue raised by act 
of parliament in England upon the trade there. 

§13. 1. The rent reserved upon their lands, is called 
his majesty's revenue of quit rents, and is two shillings 
for every hundred acres of land, patented by any person 
in that country, and two pence per acre for all lands found 
to escheat ; this is paid into the treasury there by all, ex- 
cept the inhabitants of the Northern Neck, who pay nothing 
to the king ; but the whole quit rent of that neck is paid 
to certain proprietors of the Lord Colepepper's family, who 
have the possession thereof to themselves, upon the pre- 
tensions before rehearsed in the first part of this book. 

This revenue has been upwards of fifteen hundred pounds 
a year, since tobacco has held a good price. It is lodged 
in the receiver general's hands, to be disposed of by his 
majesty. This money is left in bank there, to be made 
use of upon any sudden and dangerous emergency, except 
when it is called home to England ; and for want of such 
a bank, Sir William Berkeley was not able to make any 
stand against* Bacon, whom otherwise he might easily have 



STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS. 201 

subdued, and consequently have prevented above one hun- 
dred thousand pounds expense to the crown of England, 
to pacify those troubles. 

§ 14. 2. The revenue granted to his majesty by act of 
assembly, for the support and maintenance of the govern- 
ment, arises first out of a duty of two shillings per hogshead, 
which is paid for every hogshead of tobacco exported out 
of that colony. 2. By a rate of fifteen pence per ton 
for every ship, upon each return of her voyage, whether 
she be empty or full. 3. By a duty of sixpence per 
poll for every passenger, bound or [ree, going into that 
country to remain. T 4. By the fines and forfeitures im- 
posed by several acts of assembly. There is also an 
addition, by wafts and strays having no owner, composition 
of two pence per acre for escheat land, chattels escheat, 
and the sale of land instead of rights, at five shillings per 
right ; all which are paid into the hands of the receiver 
general, and disposed of by the governor and council, 
(with liberty for the assembly to inspect the accounts when 
they meet,) for defraying the public charges of the gov- 
ernment. 

The revenue, communibus minis, amounts to more than 
three thousand pounds a year. 

%\5. 3. The revenue arising by act of assembly, and 
reserved to their own disposal, is of two sorts, viz : a duty 
upon liquors imported from the neighboring plantations, and 
a duty upon all slaves and servants imported, except English. 

The duty on liquors used to be 4d. per gallon on all 
wines, rum, and brandy ; and Id. per gallon on beer, cider 
and other liquors, discounting twenty per cent, upon the iu- 
voice, except oats. 

The duty on servants and slaves used to be twenty shil- 
lings for each servant, not being a native of England or 
Wales, and five pounds for each slave or negro. 

The former of these duties amounts co?nmunibus annis, 
to six hundred pounds a year, and the latter to more or 
less, as the negro ships happen to arrive. 

26 



202 STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS. 

The charge of building and adorning the governor's house 
and capitol, was defrayed by these duties, and so was the 
erecting of the public prison. 

These funds are gathered into the hands of the treasurer 
of the country, and are disposed of only by order of as- 
sembly. 

§ 16. 4. The revenue raised by the assembly, and 
granted to the college, is a duty on all skins and furs 
exported. This fund raises about, an hundred pounds a 
year, and is paid by the collectors, to the college treasurer. 

§ IT. 5 and last. The fund raised by act of parliament 
in England upon the trade there, is a duty of one penny 
per pound, upon all tobacco exported to the plantations, 
and not carried directly to England. This duty was laid 
by Stat. 25, Car. 2, cap. 7, and granted to the king and 
his successors ; and by their gracious majesties King Wil- 
liam and Queen Mary, it was given to the college. This 
duty does not raise, both in Virginia and Maryland, above 
two hundred pounds a year, and is accounted for to the 
college treasurer. 



CHAPTEE V 



OF THE LEVIES FOR PAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC COUNTY 
AND PARISH DE13TS. 

§ 18. They have but two ways of raising money publicly 
in that country, viz : by duties upon trade, and a poll tax, 
which they call levies. Of the duties upon trade, I have 
spoken sufficiently in the preceding chapter. J come, there- 
fore, now to speak of the levies, which are a certain rote 
or proportion of tobacco charged upon the head of every 
tithable person in the country, upon all alike, without dis- 
tinction. 

They call all negroes above sixteen years of age tithable, 
be they male or female, and all white men of the same 
age ; but children and white women are exempted from all 
manner of duties. 

That a true account of all these tithable persons may be 
had, they are annually listed in crop time, by the justices 
of each county respectively ; and the masters of families are 
obliged, under great penalties, then to deliver to those justices 
a true list of all the tithable persons in their families. 

Their levies are threefold, viz : public, county and parish 
levies. 

§ 19. Public levies are such as are proportioned and laid 
equally, by the general assembly, upon every tithable person 
throughout the whole colony. These serve to defray several 
expenses appointed by law, to be so defrayed, such as the 
executing of a criminal slave, who must be made good to 
his owner. The taking up of runaways, and the paying of 
the militia, when they happen to be employed upon the 



204 LEVIES FOR PAYMENT OF PUBLIC DEBTS. 

service. Out of these they likewise pay the several officers 
of the assembly, and some other public officers. They 
further defray the charge of the writs, for the meeting of 
the house of burgesses, public expresses, and such like. 

The authority for levying this rate is given by a short 
act of assembly, constantly prepared for that purpose. 

§ 20. The county levies are such as are peculiar to each 
county, and laid by the justices upon all tithable persons, 
for defraying the charge of their counties, such as the 
building and repairing their court houses, prisons, pillories, 
stocks, &c, and the payment of all services, rendered to 
the county in general. 

§ 21. The parish levies are laid by the vestry, for the 
payment of all charges incident to the several parishes, such 
as the building, furnishing, and adorning their churches 
and chapels, buying glebes and building upon them, pay- 
ing their ministers, readers, clerks, and sextons. 



CHAPTEK VI. 



OF THE COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA. 

^ 22. I have already, in the chronology of the govern- 
ment, hinted what the constitution of their courts was in 
old time, and that appeals lay from the general court to 
the assembly ; that the general court, from the beginning, 
took cognizance of all causes whatsoever, both ecclesiastical 
and civil, determining everything by the standard of equity 
and good conscience. They used to come to the merits of 
the cause as soon as they could without injustice, never 
admitting such impertinences of form and niceiy as were 
not absolutely necessary ; and when the substance of the 
case was sufficiently debated, they used directly to bring the 
suit to a decision. By this method, all fair actions were 
prosecuted with little attendance, all just debts were re- 
covered with the least expense of money and time, and all 
the tricking and foppery of the law happily avoided. 

The Lord Colepepper, who was a man of admirable 
sense, and well skilled in the laws of England, admired 
the construction of their courts, and kept them close to 
this plain method, retrenching some innovations that were 
then creeping into them, under the notion of form, although, 
at the same time, he was the occasion of taking away the 
liberty of appeals to the assembly. 

But the Lord Howard, who succeeded him, endeavored 
to introduce as many of the English forms as he could, 
being directly opposite to the Lord Colepepper in that point. 

And lastly, Governor Nicholson, a man the least ac- 
quainted with law of any of them, endeavored to introduce 



206 



COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA. 



alJ the quirks of the English proceedings, by the help of 
some wretched pettifoggers, who had the direction both of 
his conscience and his understanding. 

§ 23. They have two sorts of courts, that differ only in 
jurisdiction, namely : the general court, and the county 
courts. 

§ 24. The general court is a court held by the governor 
and council, or any live of them, who by law are the 
judges of it, and take cognizance of all causes, criminal, 
penal, ecclesiastical and civil. From this court there is no 
appeal, except the thing in demand exceed the value of 
three hundred pounds sterling, in which case an appeal is 
allowed to the king and council, in England, and there 
determined by a committee of the privy council, called the 
lords of appeals ; the like custom being used for all the other 
plantations. In criminal cases, I don't know that there's 
any appeal from the sentence of this court ; but the governor 
is authorized, by his commission, to pardon persons found 
guilty of any crime whatsoever, except of treason and wilful 
murder ; and even in those cases, he may reprieve the 
criminal, which reprieve stands good, and may be continued 
from time to time until his majesty's pleasure be signified 
therein. 

§ 25. This court is held twice a year, beginning on the 
15th of April, and on the 15th of October. Each time it 
continues eighteen days, excluding Sundays, if the business 
hold them so long, and these were formerly the only times 
of goal delivery ; but now, by the governor's commission, 
he appoints two other courts of goal delivery, and the 
king allows cne hundred pounds for each court to defray the 
charge thereof. 

§ 26. The officers attending this general court, are the 
sheriff of the county wherein it sits, and his under officers. 
Their business is to call the litigants, and the evidences 
into court, and to empannel juries. But each sheriff, in 
his respective county, makes arrests, and returns the writs 
to this court. 



COURTS OF LAW IN" VIRGINIA. 207 

^ 27. The way of empanneling juries to serve in this 
court, is thus : the sheriff and Ins deputies every morning 
that the comt sits, goes about the town, summoning the 
best of the gentlemen, who resort thither from all parts 
of the country. The condition of this summons is, that 
they attend the court that day to serve upon the jury, (it 
not being known whether there will be occasion or no.) 
And if any cause happen to require a jury, they are then 
sworn to iry the issue, otherwise, they are in the evening, 
of course, dismissed from all further attendance, though 
they be not formally discharged by the court. By this 
means are procured the best juries this country can afford ; 
for if they should be summoned by writ of venire, from 
any particular county, that county cannot afford so many 
qualified persons as are here to be found, because of the great 
resort of gentlemen from all parts of the colony to these 
courts, as well to see fashions, as to dispatch their particular 
business. Nor is vicinage necessary there, to distinguish 
the several customs of particular places, the whole country 
being as one neighborhood, and having the same tenures 
of land, usages and customs. 

The grand juries are empanneled much after the same 
manner ; but because they require a greater number of 
men, and the court is always desirous to have some from 
all parts of the country, they give their sheriff order a day 
or two before, to provide this pannel. 

§ 2S. In criminal matters this method is a little altered ; 
because a knowledge of the life, and conversation of the 
party, may give light to the juiy in their verdict. For this 
reason a writ of venire issues in such cases, to summon 
six of the nearest neighbors to the criminal, who must be 
of the same county wherein he lived,; which writ of venire 
is returned by the sheriff of the respective county, to the 
secretary's office, and the names are taken from thence, 
by the sheriff attending the general court, and put in the 
front of the pannel, which is filled up with the names of 
the other gendemen summoned in the town, to be of the 



208 COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA. 

petty jury for the trial of that criminal. If the prisoner 
have a mind to challenge the jurors, the same liberty is 
allowed him there as in England ; and if the pannel fall 
short, by reason of such challenge, it must then be made 
up of the bystanders. 

§ 29. All actions in that country are generally brought to 
a determination the third court, unless some special, extra- 
ordinary reason be shown why the party can't make his 
defence so soon. The course is thus : upon the defend- 
ant's nonapperance, order goes against the bail, (for a capias 
is generally their first process,) on condition, that unless 
the defendant appear, and plead at the next court, judgment 
shall then be awarded for the plaintiff. When the defendant 
comes to the next couit he is held to plead. Thus, by 
common course, a year and a half ends a cause in the 
general court, and three or four months in the county court. 
If any one appeal from the judgment of the county court, 
the trial always comes on the succeeding general court ; so 
that all business begun in the county court, tho' it runs 
to the utmost of the law, (without some extraordinary event,) 
ought to be finished in nine months. 

§ 30. Every one that pleases, may plead his own cause, 
or else his friends for him, there being no. restraint in that 
case, nor any licensed practitioners in the law. If any one 
be dissatisfied with the judgment of the county court, let 
it be for any sum, little or great, he may have an appeal 
to the next general court, giving security to answer, and 
abide the judgment of that court ; but an action cannot 
originally be brought in the general court, under the value 
of ten pounds sterling, or of two thousand pounds of tobacco, 
except in some particular cases of penal laws. 

§ 31. The county courts are constituted by law, and the 
justices thereof appointed by commission from the governor 
with advice of council. They consist of eight or more 
gentlemen of the county, called justices of the peace, the 
sheriff being only a ministerial officer to execute its process. 
This court is held monthly, and has jurisdiction of all 



COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA. 2l)9 

causes within the county, cognizable by common law or 
chancery, and not touching life or member, and never was 
limited to any value in its jurisdiction, as Mr. Oldmixion 
would have it, pag. 29S. But in the case of hog stealing, 
they may sentence the criminal to lose his ears ; which is 
allowed by a particular act for that purpose, as the pun- 
ishment of the second offence, the third is felony. In all 
things they proceed in the same manner as the general 
court. 

§ 32. This monthly court hath the care of all orphans, 
and of their estates, and for the binding out and well order- 
ing of such fatherless children, who are either without an 
estate, or have very little. 

In September annually they are to enquire into the keep- 
ing and management of the orphan, as to his sustenance and 
education, to examine into his estate, and the securities 
thereof, viz : whether the sureties continue to be responsible, 
and his lands and plantations be kept improving, and in 
repair, etc. If the orphan be poor, and bound an appren- 
tice to any trade, then their business is to enquire, how he 
is kept to his schooling and trade ; and if the court find he 
is either misused or untaught, they take him from that 
master, and put him to another of the same trade, or of 
any other trade, which they judge best for the child. They 
cannot bind an orphan boy but to a trade, or the sea. 

Another charitable method in favor of the poor orphans 

there, is this : that besides their trade and schooling, the 

masters are generally obliged to give them at their freedom, 

cattle, tools, or other things, to the value of five, six, or ten 

pounds, according to the age of the child when bound, over 

and above the usual quantity of corn and clothes. The 

boys are bound till one and twenty years of age, and the 

girls till eighteen. At which time, they who have taken 

any care to improve themselves, generally get well married, 

and live in plenty, though they had not a farthing of 

paternal estate. 
i 

21 



CHAPTER VII. 



OP THE £HURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS. 

<§ 33. Their parishes are accounted large or small, in pro- 
portion to the number of tithables contained in them, and 
not according to the extent of land. 

§ 34. They have in each parish a convenient church, 
built either of timber, brick or stone, and decently adorned 
with everything necessary for the celebration of divine ser- 
vice. 

If a parish be of greater extent than ordinary, it hath ge- 
nerally a chapel of ease ; and some of the parishes have 
two such chapels, besides the church, for the greater con- 
venience of the parishioners. In these chapels the minis- 
ter preaches alternately, always leaving a reader to read 
prayers when he can't attend himself. 

§ 35. The people are generally of the church of Eng- 
land, which is the religion established by law in that coun- 
try, from which there are very few dissenters. Yet liberty 
of conscience is given to all other congregations pretending 
to Christianity, on condition they submit to all parish du 
ties. They have but one set conventicle amongst them, 
viz : a meeting of Quakers in Nansemond county, 
ethers that have lately been being now extinct ; and 'tis 
observed by letting them alone they decrease daily. 

§ 36. The maintenance for a minister there, is appointed 
by law at sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco per annum, (be 
the paiish great or small ;) as also a dwelling house and glebe, 
together with certain perquisites for. marriages and funeral 
sermons. That which makes the difference in the benefices 



OF THE CHURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS. 21 5 

of the clergy is the value of the tobacco, according to 
the distinct species of it, or according to the place of its 
growth. Besides, in large and rich parishes, more marriages 
will probably happen, and more funeral sermons. 

The fee by law for a funeral sermon is forty shillings, 
or four hundred pounds of tobacco ; for a marriage by 
license twenty shillings, or two hundred pounds of tobacco, 
and where the banns are proclaimed, only five shillings, or 
fifty pounds of tobacco. 

When these salaries were granted, the assembly valued 
tobacco at ten shillings per hundred ; at which rate, the 
sixteen thousand pounds comes to fourscore pounds steiling ; 
but in all parishes where the sweet-scented grows, since 
the law for appointing agents to view the tobacco was 
made, it has generally been sold for double that value, 
and never under. 

In some parishes, likewise, there are by donation stocks 
of cattle and negroes on the glebes, which aie also allowed 
to the minister for his use and encouragement, he only 
being accountable for the surrender of the same value 
when he leaves the parish. 

§ 37. For the well governing of these, and all other 
parochial affairs, a vestry is appointed in each parish. 
These vestries consist of twelve gentlemen of the parish, 
and were at first chosen by the vote of the parishioners ; 
but upon the death of any, have been continued by the 
survivors electing another in his place. These, in the name 
of the parish, make presentation of ministers, and have 
the sole power of all parish assessments. They are qua- 
lified for this employment by subscribing, to be conform- 
able to the doctrine and discipline of the church of 
England. If there be a minister incumbent, he always 
presides in the vestry. 

For the ease of the vestry in general, and for discharging 
the business of the parish, they choose two from among 
themselves to be church-wardens, which must be annually 
changed, that the burthen may lie equally upon all. The 



212 OP THE CHURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS. 

business of these church-wardens, is to see the orders and 
agreements of the vestry performed ; to collect all the 
parish tobacco, and distribute it to the several claimers ; 
to make up the accounts of the parish, and to present all 
profaneness and immorality to the county courts, and there 
prosecute it. 

By these the tobacco of the minister is collected, and 
brought to him in hogsheads convenient for shipping, so 
that he is at no farther trouble but to receive it in that 
condition. This was ordained by the law of the country, 
for the ease of the ministers, that so they being delivered 
from the trouble of gathering in their dues, may have the 
more time to apply themselves to the exercises of their holy 
function, and live in a decency suitable to their order. It 
may here be observed, that the labor of a ddzen negroes 
does but answer this salary, and seldom yields a greater 
crop of sweet scented tobacco than is allowed to each of 
their ministers. 

§ 3S. Probates of wills and administrations are, accord- 
ing to their law, petitioned for in the county courts; and 
by them security taken and certified to the governor, which, 
if he approves the commission, is then signed by them 
without fee. Marriage licenses are issued by the clerks of 
those courts, and signed by the justice in commission, or 
by any other person deputed by the governor, for which a 
fee of twenty shillings must be paid to the governor. The 
power of induction, upon presentation of ministers, is also 
in the governor. 

In the year 1642, when the sectaries began to spread 
themselves so much in England, the assembly made a law 
against them, to prevent their preaching and propagating 
their doctrines in that colony. They admitted none to 
preach in their churches but ministers ordained by some 
reverend bishop of the church of England, and the gover- 
nor, for the time being, as the most suitable public person 
among them, was left sole judge of the certificates of such 
ordination, and so he has continued ever since. 



OP THE CHURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS. 213 

§39. The only thing I have heard the clergy complain 
of there, is what they call precariousness in their livings ; 
that is, that they have not inductions generally, and there- 
fore are not entitled to a freehold ; but are liable, without 
trial or crime alledged, to be put out by the vestry. And 
though some have prevailed with their vestries, to present 
them for induction, yet the greater number of the ministers 
have no induction, but are entertained by agreement with 
their vestries, yet are they very rarely turned out without 
some great provocation, and then, if they have not been 
abominably scandalous, they immediately get other parishes, 
for there is no benefice whatsoever in that country that 
remains without a minister if they can get one, and no 
qualified minister ever yet returned from that country for 
want of preferment. They have now several vacant 
parishes. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CONCERNING THE COLLEGE. 

§ 40. The college, as has been hinted, was founded by 
their late majesties, King William and Queen Mary, of 
happy memory, in the year 1692. Towards the founding 
of which, they gave one thousand nine hundred and eighty- 
five pounds, fourteen shillings and ten pence. They gave 
moreover, towards the endowment of it, twenty thousand 
acres of land ; the revenue of one pence per pound on 
tobacco exported to the plantations from Virginia and 
Maryland ; and the surveyor general's place, then avoid ; 
and appointed them a burgess to represent them in the 
assemblies. The land hitherto has yielded little or no 
profit ; the duty of one pence per pound, brings in about 
two hundred pounds a year ; and the surveyor general's 
place, about fifty pounds a year. To which the assembly 
had added a duty on skins and furs exported, worth about 
an hundred pounds a year. 

§41. By the same charter, likewise, their majesties granted 
a power to certain gentlemen, and the survivors of them, 
as trustees, to build and establish the college, by the name 
of William and Mary college ; to consist of a pre ident and 
six masters, or professors, and an hundred scholars, more 
or less, graduates or non-graduates ; enabling the said trus- 
tees, as a body corporate, to enjoy annuities, spiritual and 
temporal, of the value of two thousand pounds sterling per 
annum, with proviso to convert it to the building and adorn- 
ing the college ; and then to make over the remainder to 
the president and masters, and their successors, who are 
likewise to become a corporation, and be enabled to pur- 



CONCERNING THE COLLEGE. 215 

chase and hold to the value of two thousand pounds a 
year, but no more. 

§ 42. The persons named in the charter for trustees, 
are made governors and visitors of the college, and to have 
a perpetual succession, by the name of governors and visitors, 
with power to fill up their own vacancies, happening by 
the death or removal of any of them. Their complete 
number may be eighteen, but not to exceed twenty, of 
which one is to be rector, and annually chosen by them- 
selves, on the first Monday after the 25th of March. 

These have the nomination of the president and masters 
of the college, and all other officers belonging to it ; and 
the power of making statutes and ordinances, for the better 
rule and government thereof. 

§43. The building is to consist of a quadrangle, two 
sides of which are not yet carried up. In this part are 
contained all conveniencies of cooking, brewing, baking, 
&c., and convenient rooms for the reception of the presi- 
dent and masters, with many more scholars than are as yet 
come to it. In this part are also the hall and school 
room. 

§ 44. The college was intended to be an intire square 
when finished. Two sides of this were finished in the 
latter end of Governor Nicholson's time, and the masters 
and scholars, with the necessary housekeepers and servants, 
were settled in it, and so continued till the first year of 
Governor Nott's time, in which it happened to be burnt 
(no body knows how) down to the ground, and very little 
saved that was in it, the fire breaking out about ten o'clock 
at night in a public time. 

The governor, and all the gentlemen that were in town, 
came up to the lamentable spectacle, many getting out of 
their beds. But the lire had got such power before it was 
discovered, and was so fierce, that there was no hope of 
pulling a stop to it, and therefore no attempts made to that 
end. 

In this condition it lay till the arrival of Colonel Spotts- 



216 CONCERNING THE COLLEGE. 

wood, their present governor, in whose time it was raised 
again the same bigness as before, and settled. 

There had been a donation of large sums of money, by 
the Hon. Robert Boyle, esq., to this college, for the educa- 
tion of Indian children therein. In order to make use of 
this, they had formerly bought half a dozen captive Indian 
children slaves, and put them to the college. This method 
did not satisfy this governor, as not apswering the intent of 
the donor. So to work he goes, among the tributary and 
other neighboring Indians, and in a short time brought them 
to send their children to be educated, and brought new 
nations, some of which lived four hundred miles off, taking 
their children for hostages and education equally, at the 
same time setting up a school in the frontiers convenient 
to the Indians, that they might often see their children 
under the first managements, where they learned to read, 
paying fifty pounds per annum out of his own pocket to 
the schoolmaster there ; after which many were brought to 
the college, where they were taught till they grew big 
enough for their hunting and other exercises, at which time 
they were returned home, and smaller taken in their stead. 



CHAPTER IX. 



OF THE MILITIA IN VIRGINIA. 

§ 45. The militia are the only standing forces in Virginia. 
They are happy in the enjoyment of an everlasting peace, 
which their poverty and want of towns secure to them. 
They have the Indians round about in subjection, and have 
no sort of apprehension from them : and for a foreign enemy, 
it can never be worth their while to carry troops sufficient 
to conquer the country ; and the scattering method of their 
settlement will not answer the charge of an expedition to 
plunder them : so that they feel none but the distant effect 
of war, which, however, keeps 'em so poor, that they can 
boast of nothing but the security of their persons and habi- 
tations. 

§46. The governor is lieutenant-general by his commis- 
sion, and in each county does appoint the colonel, lieutenant- 
colonel and major, who have under them captains, and 
other commissioned and subaltern officers. 

Every freeman, (by which denomination they call all, but 
indented, or bought servants,) from sixteen to sixty years of 
age, is listed in the militia ; which by a law is to be mus- 
tered in a general muster for each county once a year ; and 
in single troops and companies, four times more at the 
least : most people there are skilful in the use of fire-arms, 
being all their lives accustomed to shoot in the woods. 
This, together with a little exercising, would soou make the 
militia useful. 

§ 47. The exact number of the militia is not now known, 
there not being any account of the number taken of late 

28 



218 MILITIA IN VIRGINIA. 

years, but I guess them at this time to be about eighteen 
thousand effective men in all. 

And ^whereas by the practice of former times upon the 
militia law, several people were obliged to travel sometimes 
thirty or forty miles to a private muster of a troop or com- 
pany, which was very burdensome to some, more than 
others, to answer only the same duty ; this governor, just 
and regular in all his conduct, and experienced to put his 
desires in execution, so contrived,' by dividing the counties 
into several cantons or military districts, forming the troops 
and companies to each canton, and appointing the muster- 
fields in the centre of each, that now throughout the whole 
country, none are obliged to travel above ten miles to a pri- 
vate muster, and yet the law put in due execution. 

§ 48. Instead of the soldiers they formerly kept constantly 
in forts, and of the others after them by the name of ran- 
gers, to scour the frontiers clear of the Indian enemy,, they 
have by law appointed the militia to march out upon such 
occasions, under the command of the chief officer of the 
county, where any incursion shall be notified. And if they 
upon such expedition remain in arms three days and up- 
wards, they are then entitled to the pay for the whole time ; 
but if it prove a false alarm, and they have no occasion to 
continue out so long, they can demand nothing. 

$ 49. The number of soldiers in each troop of light horse, 
are from thirty to sixty, as the convenience of the canton 
will admit ; and in a company of foot about fifty or sixty. 
A troop or company may be got together at a day's warning. 



CHAPTER X. 



OF THE SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA. 

§ 50. Their servants they distinguish by the names of 
slaves for life, and servants for a time. 

Slaves are the negroes and their posterity, following the 
condition of the mother, according to the maxim, partus 
frequitur ventrem. They are called slaves, in respect of 
the time of their servitude, because it is for life. 

Servants, are those which serve only for a few years, 
according to the time of their indenture, or the custom 
of the country. The custom of the country takes place 
upon such as have no indentures. The law in this case 
is, that if such servants be under nineteen years of age, 
they must be brought into court to have their age ad- 
judged ; and from the age they are judged lo be of, they 
must serve until they reach four and twenty; but if they 
be adjudged upwards of nineteen, they are then only to 
be servants for the term of five years. 

§ 51. The male servants, and slaves of both sexes, are 
employed together in tilling and manuring the ground, 
in sowing and planting tobacco, corn, <fcc. Some distinc- 
tion indeed is made between them in their clothes, and 
food ; but the work of both is no other than what the over- 
seers, the freemen, and the planters themselves do. 

Sufficient distinction is also made between the female 
servants, and slaves ; for a white woman is rarely or never 
put to work in the ground, if she be good for anything 
else ; and to discourage all planters from using any women 
so, their law makes female servants working in the ground 



220 SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA. 

lilhables, while it suffers all other white women to be ab- 
solutely exempted ; whereas, on the other hand, it is a 
common thing to work a woman slave out of doors, nor 
does the law make any distinction in her taxes, whether 
her work be abroad or at home. 

§ 52. Because I have heard how strangely cruel and se- 
vere the service of this country is represented in some parts 
of England, I can't forbear affirming, that the work of 
their servants and slaves is no other than what every com- 
mon freeman does ; neither is any servant required to do 
more in a day than his overseer ; and I can assure you, 
with great truth, that generally their slaves are not worked 
near so hard, nor so many hours in a day, as the hus- 
bandmen, and day laborers in England. An overseer is 
a man, that having served his time, has acquired the skill 
and character of an experienced planter, and is therefore 
entrusted ,with the direction of the servants and slaves. 

But to complete this account of servants, 1 shall give 
you a short relation of the* care their laws take, that they 
be used as tenderly as possible : 

BY THE LAWS OF THEIR COUNTRY, 

1 . All servants whatsoever have their complaints heard 
without fee or reward ; but if the master be found faulty, 
the charge of the complaint is cast upon him, otherwise 
the business is done ex officio. 

2. Any justice of the peace may receive the complaint 
of a servant, and order everything relating thereto, till the 
next county court, where it will be finally determined. 

3. All masters are under the correction and censure of 
the county courts, to provide for their servants good and 
wholesome diet, clothing and lodging. 

4. They are always to appear upon the first notice given 
of the complaint of their servants, otherwise to forfeit the 
service of them until they do appear. 

5. All servants' complaints are to be received at any time 



SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA. 221 

in 'court, without process, and shall not be delayed for want 
of form ; but the merits of 'the complaiut must be imme- 
diately enquired into by the justices ; and if the master 
cause any delay therein, the court may remove such ser- 
vants, if they see cause, until the master will come to 
trial. * 

6. If a master shall at any time disobey an order of 
court, made upon any complaint of a servant, the court is 
empowered to remove such servant forthwith to another 
master who will be kinder, giving to the former master 
the produce only, (after fees deducted,) of what such ser- 
vants shall be sold for by public outcry. 

7. If a master should be so cruel, as to use his servant 
ill, that is fallen sick or lame in his service, and thereby 
rendered unfit for labor, he must be removed by the church- 
wardens out of the way of such cruelty, and boarded in 
some good planter's house, till the time of his freedom, 
the charge of which must be laid before the next county 
court, which has power to levy the same, from time to 
time, upon the goods and chattels of the master, after 
which, the charge of such boarding is to come upon the 
parish in general. 

S. All hired servants are entitled to these privileges. 

9. No master of a servant can make a new bargain for 
service, or other matter with his servant, without the privity 
and consent of the county court, to prevent the masters 
overreaching, or scaring such servant into an unreasonable 
compliance. 

10. The property of all money and goods sent over 
thither to servants, or carried in with them, is reserved to 
themselves, and remains entirely at their disposal. 

11. Each servant at his freedom receives of his master 
ten bushels of corn, (which is sufficient for almost a year.) 
two new suits of clothes, both linen and woolen, and a 
gun, twenty shillings value, and then becomes as free in 
all respects, and as much entitled to the liberties and 



222 SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA. 

privileges of the country, as any of the inhabitants m 
natives are, if such servants were not aliens. 

12. Each servant has then also a right to take up fifty 
acres .of land, where he can find any unpatented. 

This is what the laws prescribe in favor of servants, by 
which you may find, that the cruelties and severities im- 
puted to that country, are an unjust reflection. For no 
people more abhor the thoughts of such usage, than the 
Virginians, nor take more precaution to prevent it now, 
whatever it was in former days. 



CHAPTER XL 



OP THE OTHER PUBLIC CHARITABLE WORKS, AND PARTICU- 
LARLY THEIR PROVISION FOR THE POOR. 

§ 53. They live in so happy a climate, and have so fer- 
tile a soil, that nobody is poor enough to beg, or want 
food, though they have abundance of people that are lazy 
enough to deserve it. I remember the time when five 
pounds was left by a charitable testator to the poor of the 
parish he lived in, and it lay nine years before the execu- 
tors could find one poor enough to accept of this legacy, 
but at last it was given to an old woman. So that this 
may in truth be termed the best poor man's country in 
the world. But as they have nobody that is poor to beg- 
gary, so they have few that are rich ; their estates being 
regulated by the merchants in England, who it seems 
know best what is profit enough for them in the sale of 
their tobacco and other trade. 

§ 54. When it happens, that by accident or sickness, any 
person is disabled from working, and so is forced to depend 
upon the alms of the parish, he is then very well pro- 
vided for, not at the common rate of some countries, that 
give but just sufficient to preserve the poor from perishing ; 
but the unhappy creature is received into some charitable 
planter's house, where he is at the public charge boarded 
plentifully. 

Many when they are crippled, or by long sickness become 
poor, will sometimes ask to be free from levies and taxes - } 
but very few others do ever ask for the parish alms, or, 
indeed. 80 much as stand in need of them 



224 PUBLIC CHARITABLE WORKS. 

§ 55. There are large tracts of land, houses, and other 
things granted to free schools, for the education of children 
in many parts of the country ; and some of these are so 
large, that of themselves they are a handsome mainte- 
nance to a master ; but the additional allowance which gen- 
tlemen give with their sons, render them a comfortable 
subsistence. These schools have been founded by the lega- 
cies of well inclined gentlemen, and the management of 
them hath commonly been left to the direction of the 
county court, or to the vestry of the respective parishes. In 
all other places where such endowments have not been 
already made, the people join, and build schools for their 
children, where they may learn upon very easy terms. 



CHAPTER XII. 



OP THE TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD THEIR LANDS, 
AND OF THEIR GRANTS. 

§ 56. The tenure of their land there is free and com- 
mon soccage, according to custom of east Greenwich ; and 
is created by letters patents, issuing under the seal of the 
colony, and under the test of the governor in chief for 
the time being, I don't find that the name of any other 
officer is necessary to make the patent valid. 

§ 57. There are three ways of obtaining from his ma- 
jesty a title to land there, viz : 1. By taking a patent 
upon a survey of new land. 2. By petition for land 
lapsed. 3. By petition for land escheated. The conditions 
of the two former are the entry of rights ; the condition of 
the third a composition of two pounds of tobacco for every 
acre. 

§ 58. A right is a title any one hath by the royal char- 
ter to fifty acres of land, in consideration of his personal 
transportation into that country, to settle and remain there ; 
by this rule also, a man that removes his family is en- 
titled to the same number of acres for his wife, and each 
of his children ; a right may be also obtained by paying 
five shillings, according to a late royal instruction to the 
government. 

§ 59. A patent upon land for survey is acquired thus : 
1. The man proves his rights ; that is, he makes oath in 
court of the importation of so many persons, with a list 
of their names. This list is then certified by the clerk 
of that court to the clerk of the secrelaiy's office, who 
examines into the validity of them, and files them in that 
29 



226 TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD LANDS. 

office, attesting them to be regular, or he purchases them 
at five shillings each as aforesaid. When the rights are 
thus obtained, they are produced to the surveyor of the 
county, and the land is showed to him ; who, thereupon, 
is bound to make the survey if the land had not been 
patented before. These rights to land are as commonly 
sold by one man to another, as the land itself ; so that 
any one, not having rights by his own importation, may 
have them by purchase. 

It is the business of the surveyor also to take care that 
the bounds of his survey be plainly marked, either by 
natural boundaries, or else by chopping notches in the 
trees, that happen in the lines of his courses ; but this is 
done at the charge of the man that employs hirn. 

This survey being made, a copy thereof is carried, with 
a certificate of rights to the secretary's office, and there (if 
there be no objection) a patent of course is made out upon 
it, which is presented to the governor and council for 
them to pass ; the patentee having no more to do but to 
send for it when it is perfected, and to pay the fee at 
the first crop to the sheriff of the county, by whom an- 
nually the fees are collected. 

This patent gives an estate in fee simple, upon condi- 
tion of paying a quit rent of twelve pence for every fifty 
acres, and of planting or seating thereon, within three years, 
according to their law ; that is, to clear, plant, and tend 
'three acres of ground for every fifty, and to build an 
house, and keep a stock of cattle, sheep, or goats, in 
proportion to the meaner part of the land in the patent. 

§ 60. Lapsed land, is when any one having obtained a 
patent as before, doth not set or plant thereon within 
three years, as the condition of the patent requires ; but 
leaves it st ill all or part uninhabited and uncultivated. In 
such case it is said to be lapsed, and any man is at 
liberty to obtain a new patent in his own name of so 
much as is lapsed, the method of acquiring which patent 
is thus. 



TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD LAND9. 227 

The party must apply himself by petition to the general 
court, another to the governor, setting forth all the circum- 
stances of the lapse. If this petition be allowed, the court 
makes an order, to certify the same to the governor, in 
whose breast it is then to make a new grant thereof to such 
person if he thinks they deserve it, upon the same condi- 
tion, of setting or planting within three years, as was in the 
former patent. Thus land may be lapsed or lost several 
times, by the negligence of the patentees ; who, by such 
omission, lose not only the land, but all their rights and 
charges into the bargain. 

But if within the three years after the date of the patent, 
or before any new petition is preferred for it, the patentee 
shall set or plant the said land, as the law directs ; it can- 
not afterwards be forfeited, but by attainder, or escheat, in 
which case it returns to his majesty again. 

Also when it happens, that the patentee dies within the 
three years, leaving the heir under age, there is farther time 
given the heir after he comes of age to set and save such 
land. 

§61. When land is suggested to escheat, the governor 
issues his warrant to the escheator, to make inquest thereof : 
and when upon such inquest, office is found for the king, it 
must be recorded in the secretary's office, and there kept 
nine months, to see if any person will lay claim to it, or 
can traverse the escheat. If any such appear, upon his 
petition to the general court he is heard, before any grant 
can be made. If no person oppose the inquest, the land is 
given to the man that shews the best equitable right thereto ; 
and if there be none such, it is then granted to any one, 
that the governor and council shall think fit, the grantee al- 
ways paying two pounds of tobacco per acre into, the trea- 
sury of the country, as a fine of composition with his ma- 
jesty for his escheat : and thereupon a patent issues reciting 
premises. 



CH APTEE XIII 



OF THE LIBERTIES AND NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS IN 

VIRGINIA. 

§ 62. Christians of all nations have equal freedom there, 
and upon their arrival become ipso facto entitled to all the 
liberties and privileges of the country, provided they take 
the oaths of obedience to the crown and government, and 
obtain the governor's testimonial theieof. 

The method of obtaining naturalization is thus : the party 
desiring it goes before the governor, and tenders his oath of 
allegiance, which the governor thereupon administers/ and 
immediately makes certificate of it under the seal of the 
colony. By this means, the person alien is completely natu- 
ralized to all intents and purposes. 

§63. The French refugees sent in thither by the charita- 
ble exhibition of his late majesty king William, are natura- 
lized, by a particular law for that purpose. 

In the year 1699, there went over about three hundred of 
these, and the year following about two hundred more, and 
so on, till there arrived in all between seven and eight hun- 
dred men, women and children, who had fled from France 
on account of their religion. 

Those who went over the first year, were advised to seat 
on a piece of very rich land, about twenty miles above the 
falls of James river, on the south side of the river ; which 
land was formerly the seat of a great and warlike nation of 
Indians, called the Manicans, none of which are now left 
in those parts ; but the land still retains their' name, and is 
called the Manican town. 

The refugees that arrived the second year, went also first 



LIBERTIES AND NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS. 22'J 

to the Manican town, but afterwards upon some disagree 
ment, several dispersed themselves up and down the coun- 
try ; and those that have arrived since have followed their 
example, except some few, that settled likewise at the Ma- 
nican town. 

The assembly was very bountiful to those who remained 
at this town, bestowing on them large donations, money and 
provisions for their support ; they likewise freed them from 
every public tax, for several years to come, and addressed 
the governor to grant them a brief, to entitle them to the 
charity of all well disposed persons thiougliput the country ; 
which together with the king's benevolence, supported them N 
very comfortably, till they could sufficiently supply them- 
selves with necessaries, which now they do indifferently 
well, and have stocks of cattle and hogs. 

The year 1702, they began an essay of wine, which they 
made of the wild grapes gathered in the woods ; the effect 
of which was a strong bodied claret, of good flavor. I heard 
a gentleman, who tasted it, give it great commendation. 
Now if such may be made of the wild vine in the woods, 
without pruning, weeding, or removing it out of the shade, 
what may not be produced from a vineyard skilfully cultiva- 
ted? But I don't hear that they have done any thing since 
towards it, being still very poor, needy, and negligent. 



CHAPTER XI Y. 



OF THE CURRENCY AND VALUATION OF COINS IN VIRGINIA. 

§64. The coin which chiefly they have among them, is 
either gold, of the stamp of Arabia, or silver and gold, of 
the stamp of France, Portugal or the Spanish America : 
Spanish, French and Portuguese coined silver is settled by 
law at three pence three farthings the pennyweight. Gold 
of the same coin, and of Arabia, at five shillings the penny- 
weight. English guineas at twenty-six shillings each, and 
the silver two pence in every shilling advance, English old 
coin goes by weight as the other gold and silver. 



OP THE 

HUSBANDRY AND IMPROVEMENTS 

OF 

VIRGINIA. 
PART II. 



CHAPTER XV. 



OF THE PEOPLE, INHABITANTS OF VIRGINIA. 

§65. I can easily imagine with Sir Josiah Child, that 
this, as well as all the rest of the plantations, was for the 
most part, at first, peopled by persons of low circumstances, 
and by such as were willing to seek their fortunes in a 
foreign country. Nor was it hardly possible it should be 
otherwise ; for 'tis not likely that any man of a plentiful 
estate should voluntarily abandon a happy certainty, to roam 
after imaginary advantages in a new world. Besides which 
uncertainty, he must have proposed to himself to encounter 
the infinite difficulties and dangers that attend a new settle- 
ment. These discouragements were sufficient to terrify any 
man, that could live easily in England, from going to pro- 
voke his fortune in a strange land. 

§ 66. Those that went over to that country first, were 
chiefly single men who had not the incumbrance of wives 
and children in England ; and if they had, they did not 



232 OF-THE PEOPLE, INHABITANTS OF VIRGINIA. 

expose them to the fatigue and hazard of so long a voyage, 
until they saw how it should fare with themselves. From 
hence it came to pass, that when they were settled there 
in a comfortable way of subsisting a family, they grew sen- 
sible of the misfortune of wanting wives, and such as had 
left wives in England sent for them, but the single men 
were put to their shifts. They excepted against the Indian 
women on account of their being pagans, as well as their 
complexions, and for fear they should conspire with those 
of their own nation to destroy their husbands. Under this 
difficulty they had no hopes, but that the plenty in which 
they lived might invite modest women, of small fortunes, 
to go over thither from England. However, they would 
not receive any, but such as could carry sufficient certificate 
of their modesty and good behavior. Those, if they were 
but moderately qualified in all other respects, might depend 
upon marrying very well in those days, without any fortune. 
Kay, the first planters were so far from expecting money 
with a woman, that 'twas a common thing for them to buy 
a deserving wife, that carried good testimonials of her char- 
acter, at the price of one hundred pounds, and make 
themselves believe they had a bargain. 

§ 67. But this way of peopling the colony was only 
at first. For after the advantages of the climate, and the 
fruitfulness of the soil were well known, and all the dan- 
gers incident to infant settlements were over, people of 
better condition retired thither with their families, either to 
increase the estates they had before, or else to avoid being 
persecuted for their principles of religion or government. 

Thus, in the* time of the rebellion in England, several 
good cavalier families went thither with their effects, to 
escape the tyranny of the usurper, or acknowledgement of 
his title. And so again, upon the restoration, many people 
of the opposite party took refuge there, to shelter themselves 
from the king's resentment. But Virginia had not many 
of these last, because that country was famous for holding 
out the longest for the royal family, of any of the English 



OK THE PEOPLE, INHABITANTS OF YIRl.I.Vl A . 2'S'S 

dominions. For which reason the Roundheads went, for the 
most part, to New England, as did most of those that in 
the rei^n of Kinsr Charles II were molested on account of 
their religion, though some of these fell likewise to the 
share of Virginia. As for malefactors condemned to trans- 
portation, tho' the greedy planter will always buy them, 
yet it is to be feared they will be very injurious to the 
country, which has already suffered many murders and rob- 
beries, the effect of that new law of England. 
30 



CHAPTER XVI. 



OF THE BUILDINGS OF VIRGINIA. 

§ 68. There are three fine public buildings in this country, 
which are said to be the most magnificent of any in the 
English America : one of which is the college before spoken 
of, another the capitol or state house, as it was formerly 
called ; that is, the house for convention of the general 
assembly, for the sitting of the general court, for the 
meeting of the council, and for keeping of their several 
offices, belonging to them. 

Not far from this, is also built the public prison of the 
country for criminals, which is a large and convenient stiuc- 
ture, with partitions for the different sexes, and distinct 
rooms for petty offenders. To this is also annexed a con- 
venient yard to air the criminals in, for the preservation of 
their life and health, till the time of their trial ; and at the 
end of that, another prison for debtors. 

The third is a house for the governor, not the largest, but 
by far the most beautiful of all the others. It was granted 
by the assembly in Governor Nott's time, begun in Presi- 
dent Jennings' time, but received its beauty and coveniency 
for the many alterations and decorations, of the present 
governor, Colonel Spotswood ; who, to the lasting honor 
and happiness of the country, arrived there, while this house 
was carrying up. 

In his time was also built a new brick church, and brick 
magazine for arms and ammunition, and the streets of the 
town altered from the fanciful forms of Ws and Ms to 
much more conveniences. 



OF THE BUILDINGS OF VIRGINIA. 235 

These are all erected at Middle plantation, now named 
Williamsburg, where land is laid out for a town, They 
all are built of brick, and covered with shingle, except the 
debtors' prison which is flat roofed anew ; a very useful 
invention of the present governor also. 

§ 69. The private buildings are also in his time very 
much improved, several gentlemen there, having built them- 
selves large brick houses of many rooms on a floor ; but 
they don't covet to make them lofty, having extent enough 
of ground to build upon ; and now and then they are 
visited by high winds, which would incommode a tower- 
ing fabric. They love to have large rooms, that they 
may be cool in summer. Of late they have made their 
stories much higher than formerly, and their windows larger, 
and sashed with crystal glass ; adorning their apartments 
with rich furniture. 

All their drudgeries of cookery, washing, daries, (fee, 
are performed in offices apart from the dwelling houses, 
which by this means are kept more cool and sweet. 

Their tobacco houses are all built of wood, as open and 
airy as is consistent wilh keeping out the rain ; which 
sort of building is most convenient for the curing of their 
tobacco. 

Their common covering for dwelling houses is shingle, 
which is an oblong square of cypress or pine wood ; but 
they cover their tobacco houses with thin clap board ; and 
though they have slate enough in some particular parts of the 
country, and as strong clay as can be desired for making 
of tile, yet they have very few tiled houses ; neither has 
any one yet (bought it worth his while to dig up the slate, 
which will hardly be made use of, till the carriage there 
becomes cheaper, and more common ; the slate lying far 
up the frontiers above water carriage. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



OP THE EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IN VIRGINIA. 

§ 70. The families being altogether on country seats, 
ihey have their graziers, seedsmen, gardeners, brewers, ba- 
kers, butchers and cooks, within themselves. They have 
plenty and variety of provisions for their table ; and as for 
spicery, and other things that the country don't produce, 
they have constant supplies of them from England. The 
gentry pretend to have their victuals dressed, and served up 
as nicely, as if they were in London. 
/ § 71 . When I come to speak of their cattle, I can't for- 
bear charging my countrymen with exceeding ill husbandry, 
in not providing sufficiently for them all winter, by which 
means they starve their young cattle, or at least stint their 
growth ; so that they seldom or never grow so large as 
they would do, if they were well managed ; for the hu- 
mor is there, if people can but save the lives of their 
cattle, though they suffer them to be never so poor in the 
winter, yet they will presently grow fat again in the spring, 
which they esteem sufficient for their purpose. And this 
is the occasion, that their beef and mutton are seldom or 
never so large, or so fat as in England. And yet with the 
least feeding imaginable, they are put into as good case as 
can be desired ; and it is the same with their hogs. 

Their fish is in vast plenty and variety, and extraordinary 
good in their kind. Beef and pork are commonly sold 
there, from one penny, to two pence the pound, or more, 
according to the time of year ; their fattest and largest 
pullets at sixpence a piece ; their capons at eight pence or 
nine pence a piece ; their chickens at three or four shillings 



EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IX VIRGINIA. 237 

the dozen ; their clucks at eight pence, or nine pence a 
piece ; their geese at ten pence or a shilling ; (heir turkey 
hens at fifteen or eighteen pence ; and their turkey cocks 
at two shillings or half a crown. But oysters and wild 
fowl are not so dear, as the things I have reckoned before, 
being in their season the cheapest victuals they have. Their 
deer are commonly sold from five to ten shillings, accoiding, 
to the scarcity and goodness. 

§72. The bread in gentlemen's houses is generally'' 
made of wheat, but some rather choose the pone, which 
is the bread made of Indian meal. Many of the poorer 
sort of people so little regard the English grain, that 
though they might have it with the least trouble in the 
world, yet they don't mind to sow the ground, because 
they won't be at the trouble of making a fence particu- 
larly for it. And, therefore, their constant bread is pone, 
not so called from the Latin panis, but from the Indian 
name oppone. 

§ 73. A kitchen garden don't thrive better or faster in ' 
any part of the universe than there. They have all the 
culinary plants that grow in England, and in greater per- 
fection than in England. Besides these, they have seve- 
ral roots, herbs, vine fruits, and sallad flowers peculiar to 
themselves, most of which will neither increase nor grow 
to perfection in England. These they dish up various 
ways, and find them very delicious sauce to their meats, 
both roast and boiled, fresh and salt ; such are the In- 
dian cresses, red buds, sassafras flowers, cymlings, melons 
and potatoes, whereof I have spoken at large in the 
4th chapter of the* second book, section 20. 

It is said of New England, that several plants will not 
grow there, which thrive well in England ; such as rue. 
Miiiihernwood, rosemary, bays and lavender ; and that others 
degenerate, and will not continue above a year or two at 
the most ; such are July (lowers, fennel, enula campana, 
clary and bloodwdrt. But I don't know any English 
plant, grain or fruit, that miscarries in Virginia : but most 



238 EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IN VIRGINIA. 

of them better their kinds very much by being sowed or 
planted there. It was formerly said of the red top turnip, 
that there, in three or four years time, it degenerated into 
rape ; but that happened merely by an error in saving 
the seed ; for now it appears that if they cut off the top 
of such a turnip, that has been kept out of the ground 
all the winter, and plant that top alone without the body 
of the root, it yields a seed which mends the turnip in 
the next sowing. 

§ 74. Their small drink is either wine and water, beer, 
milk and water, or water alone. Their richer sort gene- 
rally brew their small beer with malt, which they have 
from England, though barley grows there very well ; but 
for want of the convenience of malthouses, the inhabitants 
take no care to sow it. The poorer sort brew their beer 
with molasses and bran ; with Indian corn malted by dry- 
ing in a stove ; with persimmons dried in cakes, and 
baked ; with potatoes ; with the green stalks of Indian corn 
cut small, and bruised ; with pompions, and with the 
batates canadensis, or Jerusalem artichoke, which some 
people plant purposely for that use ; but this is the least 
esteemed of all the sorts before mentioned. 

Their strong drink is Madeira wine, cider, mobby punch, 
made either of rum from the Caribbee islands, or brandy 
distilled from their apples and peaches ; besides brandy, 
wine, and strong beer, which they have constantly from 
England. 

§ 75. Their fuel is altogether wood, which every man 
burns at pleasure, it being no other charge to him than 
the cutting and carrying it home. In all new grounds it 
is such an incumbrance, that they are forced to burn great 
heaps of it to rid the land. They have very good pit 
coal (as is foimerly mentioned) in several places of the 
country ; but no man has yet thought it worth his while 
to make use of them, having wood in plenty, and lying 
more convenient for him. 



CHAPTER XYII I 



OF THE CLOTHING IN VIRGINIA. 

§ 76. They have their clothing of all sorts from England ; 
as linen, woollen, silk, hats and leather. Yet flax and 
hemp grow no where in the world better than there. 
Their sheep yield good increase, and bear good fleeces ; 
but they shear them only to cool them. The mulberry 
tree, whose leaf is the proper food of the silk worm, 
grows there like a weed, and silk worms have been ob- 
served to thrive extremely, and without any hazard. The 
very furs that their hats are made of perhaps go first 
from thence ; and most of their hides lie and rot, or are 
made use of only for covering dry goods in a leaky house. 
Indeed, some few hides with much ado are tanned and 
made into servants' shoes, but at so careless a rate, that 
the planters don't care to buy them if they can get others; 
and sometimes perhaps a better manager than ordinary will 
vouchsafe to make a pair of breeches of a deerskin. Nay, 
they are such abominable ill husbands, (hat though their 
country be overrun with wood, yet they have all their 
wooden ware from England ; their cabinets, chairs, table 
stools, chests, boxes, cart wheels, and all other things, 
even so much as their bowls and birchen brooms, lo the 
eternal reproach of their laziness. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



OF THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE, AND THE INCON- 
VENIENCIES ATTENDING IT. 

§ 77. The natural temperature of the inhabited part of the 
country is hot and moist, though this moisture I take to 
be occasioned by the abundance of low grounds, marshes, 
creeks and rivers, which are everywhere among their 
lower settlements ; but more backward in the woods, where 
they are now seating, and making new plantations, they 
have abundance of high and dry land, where (here are 
only crystal streams of water, which flow gently from their 
springs in innumerable branches to moisten and enrich 
the adjacent lands, and where *a fog is rarely seen. 

§ 78. The country is in a very happy situation, be- 
tween the extremes of heat and cold, but inclining rather 
to the first. Certainly it must be a happy climate, since 
it is very near of the same latitude with the land of pro- 
mise. Besides, as the land of promise was full of rivers 
and branches of rivers, so is Virginia. As that was seated 
upon a great bay and sea, wherein were all the conve- 
niencies for shipping and trade, so is Virginia. Had that 
fertility of soil ? So has Virginia, equal to any land in the 
known world. In fine, if any one impartially considers all 
the advantages of this country, as nature made it, he must 
allow it to be as fine a place as any in the universe ; but 
I confess I am ashamed to say any thing of its improve- 
ments, because I must at the same time reproach my coun- 
trymen with unpardonable sloth. If there be any excuse 
for them in this matter, 'lis ihe exceeding plenty of good 
things with which nature has blest them ; for where God 



TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 241 

Almighty is so merciful as to give plenty and ease, people 
easily forget their duty. 

All the countries in the world, seated in or near the lati- 
tude of Virginia, are esteemed the fruitfullest and plea- 
santest of all climates. As for example, Canaan, Syria, 
Persia, great part of India, China and Japan, the Morea, 
Spain, Portugal, and the coast of Barbaiy, none of which 
differ many degrees of latitude from Virginia. These are 
reckoned the gardens of the world, while Virginia is un- 
justly neglected by its own inhabitants, and abused by other 
people. 

§ 79. That which makes this country most unfortunate, is, 
that it must submit to receive its character from the mouths 
not only of unfit, but very unequal judges ; for all its re- 
proaches happen after this manner. 

Many of the merchants and others, that go thither from 
England, make no distinction between a cold and hot coun- 
try ; but wisely go sweltering about in their thick clothes 
all the summer, because forsooth they used to do so in their 
northern climate ; and then unfairly complain of the heat 
of the country. They greedily surfeit with their delicious 
fruits, and are guilty of great imtemperance therein, through 
the exceeding plenty thereof, and liberty given by the in- 
habitants ; by which means they fall sick, and then unjustly 
complain of the unhealthiness of the country. In the next 
place, the sailors for want of towns there, were put to the 
hardship of rolling most of the tobacco, a mile or more, to 
the water side ; this splinters their hands sometimes, and 
provokes them to curse the country. Such exercise and a 
bright sun made them hot, and then they imprudently fell 
to drinking cold water, or perhaps new cider, which, in its 
season they found in every planter's house ; or else- they 
greedily devour the green fruit, and unripe trash they met 
with, and so fell into fluxes, fevers, and the belly ache ; 
and then, to spare their own indiscretion, they in their tar- 
paulin language, cry, God d m the country. This is 

the true state of the case, as to the complaints of its being 
31 



242 TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 

sickly ; for, by the most impartial observation I can make, 
if people will be persuaded to be temperate, and take due 
care of themselves, I believe it is as healthy a country as 
any under heaven : but the extraordinary pleasantness of the 
weather, and plenty of the fruit, lead people into many 
temptations. The clearness and brightness of the sky, add 
new vigor to their spirils, and perfectly remove all splenetic 
and sullen thoughts. Here they enjoy all the benefits of a 
warm sun, and by their shady trees are protected from its 
inconvenience. Here all their senses are entertained with 
an endless succession of native pleasures. Their eyes are 
ravished with the beauties of naked nature. Their ears are 
serenaded with the perpetual murmur of brooks, and the 
thorough-base which the wind plays, when it wantons 
through the trees ; the merry birds too, join their pleasing 
notes to this rural comfort, especially the mock birds, who 
love society so well, that often when they see mankind, 
they will perch upon a twig very near them, and sing the 
sweetest wild airs in the world. But what is most remarka- 
ble in these melodious animals, if they see a man take no- 
tice of them, they will frequently fly at small distances, 
warbling out their notes from perch to perch, be it house or 
tree convenient, and sometimes too fly up, to light on the 
same again, and by their music make a man forget the 
fatigues of his mind. Men's taste is regaled with the most 
delicious fruits, which, without art, they have in great va- 
riety and perfection. And then their smell is refreshed with 
an eternal fragrancy of flowers and sweets, with which na- 
ture perfumes and adorns the woods and branches almost 
the whole year round. 

Have you pleasure in a garden ? All things thrive in it 
most surprisingly ; you can't walk by a bed of flowers, but 
besides the entertainment of their beauty, your eyes will be 
saluted with the charming colors and curiosity of the hum- 
ming bird, which revels among the flowers, and licks off 
the dew and honey from their tender leaves, on which it 
only feeds. Its size is not half so large as an English 



TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 243 

wren, and its color is a glorious shining mixture of scarlet; 
green and gold. 

§ SO. On the other side, all the annoyances and inconve- 
niences of the country may fairly be summed up, under 
these three heads, thunder, heat, and troublesome vermin. 

I confess, in the hottest part of the summer, they have 
sometimes very loud and surprising thunder, but rarely any 
damage happens by it. On the contrary, it is of such ad- 
vantage to the cooling and refining of the air, that it is 
oftener wished for than feared. But they have no earth- 
quakes, which the Caribbee islands are so much troubled 
with. 

Their heat is very seldom troublesome, and then only by 
the accident of a perfect calm, which happens perhaps two 
or three times in a year, and lasts but a few hours at a 
time ; and even that inconvenience is made easy by cool 
shades, open airy rooms, summer houses, arbors, and grot- 
tos : but the spiing and fall afford as pleasant weather a? 
Mahomet promised in his paradise. 

All the troublesome vermin that ever I heard anybody 
complain of, are either frogs, snakes, musquitoes, chinches, 
seed ticks, or red worms, by some called potato lice. Of 
all which I shall give an account in their order. 

Some people have been so ill informed, as to say, that 
Virginia i3 full of toads, though there never yet was seen 
one toad in it. The marshes, fens, and watery grounds, are 
indeed full of harmless frogs which do no hurt, except by 
the noise of their croaking notes : but in the upper parts of 
the country, where the land is high and dry, they are very 
scarce. In these swamps and running streams, they have 
frogs of an incredible bigness, which are called bull frogs, 
from the roaring they make. Last year I found one of 
these near a stream of fresh water, of so prodigious a mag- 
nitude, that when 1 extended its legs, I found the distance 
betwixt them to be seventeen inches and an half. If any 
are good to eat, these must be the kind. 

Some people in England are startled at the very name 



244 TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 

of the rattle snake, and fancy every corner of that province 
so much pestered with them, that a man goes in constant 
danger of his life, that walks abroad in the woods. But this 
is as gross a mistake, as most of the other ill reports of that 
country. For in the first place this snake is very rarely 
seen ; and when that happens, it never does the least mis- 
chief, unless you offer to disturb it, and thereby provoke 
it to bite in its own defence. But it never fails to give 
you fair warning, by making a noise with its rattle, which 
may be heard at a convenient distance. For my own part 
I have traveled the country as much as any man in it 
of my age, by night and by day, above the inhabitants, 
well as among them ; and yet before the first impression 
of this book I had never seen a rattle snake alive, and at 
liberty, in all my life. I had seen them indeed after they 
had been killed, or pent up in boxes to be sent to England. 
The bite of this viper without some immediate application 
is certainly death ; but remedies are so well known, that 
none of their servants are ignorant of them. I never knew 
any killed by these, or any other of their snakes, although 
I had a general knowledge all over the country, and had 
been in every part of it. They have several other snakes 
which are seen more frequently, and have very little or no 
hurt in them, viz : such as they call black snakes, water 
snakes, and corn snakes. The black viper snake, and the 
copper-bellied snake, are said to be as venomous as the 
rattle snake, but they are as seldom seen ; these three poi- 
sonous snakes bring forth their young alive, whereas the 
other three sorts lay eggs, which are hatched afterwards ; 
and that is the distinction they make, esteeming only those 
to be venomous, which are viviparous. They have like- 
wise the horn snake, so called from a sharp horn it carries 
in its tail, with which it assaults anything that offends it, 
with that force, that as it is said it will strike its tail into 
the butt end of a musket, from which it is not able to 
disengage itself. 

All sorts of snakes will charm both birds and squirrels, 



TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE 24j 

and the Indians pretend to charm them. Several persons 
have seen squirrels run down a tree directly into a snake's 
mouth ; they have likewise seen birds fluttering up and 
down, and chattering at these snakes, till at last they have 
dropped down just before them. 

In the end of May, 1715, stopping at an orchard by the 
road side to get some cherries, being three of us in company, 
we were entertained with the whole process of a charm 
between a rattle snake and a hare, the hare being better 
than half grown. It happened thus : one of the company 
in his search for the best cherries espied the hare sitting, 
and although he went close by her she did not move, till 
he, (not suspecting the occasion of her gentleness.) gave her 
a lash with his whip ; this made her run about ten feet, 
and there sit down again. The gentleman not finding the 
cherries ripe, immediately returned the same way, and near 
the place where he struck the hare, he spied a rattle snake ; 
still not suspecting the charm, he goes back about twenty 
yaids to a hedge to get a stick to kill the snake, and at his 
return found the snake removed, and coiled in the same 
place from whence he had moved the hare. This put him 
into immediate thoughts of looking for the hare again, and 
he soon spied her about ten feet off the snake, in the same 
place to which she had started when he whipt her. She 
was now lying down, but would sometimes raise herself 
on her fore feet struggling as it were for life or to get away, 
but could never raise her hinder parts from the ground, 
and then would fall flat on her side again, panting vehe- 
mently. In this condition the hare and snake were when 
he called me ; and though we all three came up within 
fifteen feet of the snake to have a full view of the whole, 
he took no notice at all of us, nor so much as gave a glance 
towards us. There we stood at least half an hour, the 
snake not altering a jot, but the hate often struggling and 
falling on its side again, till at last the hare lay still as 
dead for some time. Then the snake moved out of his 
coil, and slid gently and smoothly on towards the hare. 



246 TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 

his colors at that instant being ten times more glorious and 
shining than at other times. As the snake moved along, 
the hare happened to fetch another struggle, upon which 
the snake made a stop, laying at his length, till the hare 
had lain quiet again for a short space ; and then he ad- 
vanced again till he came up to the hinder parts of the 
hare, which in all this operation had been towards the 
snake ; there he made a survey all over the hare, raising 
part of his body above it, then turned off and went to 
the head and nose of the hare, after that to the ears, 
took the ears in his mouth one after the other, working 
each apart in his mouth as a man does a wafer to moisten 
it, then returned to the nose again, and took the face into 
his mouth, straining and 'gathering his lips sometimes by 
one side of his mouth, sometimes by the other ; at the 
shoulders he was a long time puzzled, often hauling and 
stretching the hare out at length, and straining forward first 
one side of his mouth then the other, till at last he got 
the whole body into his throat. Then we went to him, 
and taking the twist band off from my hat, I made a noose 
and put it about his neck. This made him at length very 
furious, but we having secured him, put him into one end 
of a wallet, and carried him on horseback five miles to Mr. 
John Baylor's house, where we lodged that night, with a 
design to have sent him to Dr. Cock, at Williamsburg ; 
but Mr. Baylor was so careful of his slaves that he would 
not let him be put into his boat, for fear he should get 
loose and mischief them ; therefore, the next mornii g we 
killed him, and took the hare out of his belly. The head 
of the hare began to be digested and the hair falling off, 
having lain about eighteen hours in the snake's belly. 

I thought this account of such a curiosity would be ac- 
ceptable, and the rather because (hough I lived in a country 
where such things are said frequently to happen, yet I 
never could have any satisfactory account of a charm, 
though I have met with several persons who have pre- 
tended to have seen them. Some also pretend that those 



TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 247 

sort of snakes influence children, and even men and women, 
by their charms. But this that I have related of my own 
view, I aver, (for the satisfaction of the learned,) to be 
punctually true, without enlarging or wavering in any re- 
spect, upon the faith of a Christian. 

In my youth 1 was a bear hunting in the woods above 
the inhabitants, and having straggled from my companions, 
I was entertained at my return, with the relation of a 
pleasant rencounter, between a dog and a rattle snake, about 
a squirrel. The snake had got the head and shoulders of 
the squirrel into his mouth, which being something too 
large for his throat, it took him up some time to moisten the 
fur of the squirrel with his spawl, to make it slip down. 
The dog took this advantage, seized the hinder parts of 
the squirrel, and tugged with all his might. The snake, 
on the other side, would not let go his hold for a long 
time, till at last, fearing he might be bruised by the dog's 
running away with him, he gave up his prey to the dog. 
The dog eat the squirrel, and felt no harm. 

Another curiosity concerning this viper, which I" never 
met with in print, I will also relate from my own obser- 
vation : 

Sometime after my observation of the charm, my wait- 
ing boy being sent abroad on an errand, also took upon 
himself to bring home a rattle snake in a noose. I cut off 
the head of this snake, leaving about an inch of the neck 
with it. This I laid upon the head of a tobacco hogshead, 
one Stephen Lankford, a carpenter, now alive, being with 
me. Now you must note that these snakes have but two 
teeth, by which they convey their poison ; and they ;ue 
placed in the upper jaw, pretty forward in the mouth, one 
on each side. These teeth are hollow and crooked like a 
cock's spur. They are also loose or springing in the 
mouth, and not fastened in the jaw bone as all other teeth 
are. The hollow has a vent, also, through by a small hole 
a little below the point of the tooth. These two teeth are 
kept lying down along the jaw, or shut like a spring knife, 



248 TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 

and dont shrink up as die talons of a cat or panther. 
They have also over them a loose thin film or skin of a 
flesh color, which rises over them when they are raisec, 
which I take to be only at the will of the snake to do 
injury. This skin does not break by the rising of the 
tooth only, but keeps whole till the bite is given, and then 
is pierced by the tooth, by which the poison is let out. 
The head being laid upon the hogshead, I took two little 
twigs or splinters of sticks, and having turned the head upon 
its crown, opened the mouth, and lifted up the fang or 
springing tooth on one side several times, in doing of which 
I at last broke the skin. The head gave a sudden champ 
with its mouth, breaking from my sticks, in which I obser- 
ved that the poison ran down in a lump like oil, round the 
root of the tooth. Then I turned the other side of the 
head, and resolved to be more careful to keep the mouth 
open on the like occasion, and observe more narrowly the 
consequence. For it is observed, that though the heads of 
snakes, terrapins and such like vermin, be cut off, yet the 
body will not die in a long time after — the general saying 
is, till the sun sets. After opening the mouth on the other 
side, and lifting up that fang also several times, he endeav- 
ored to give another bite or champ ; but I kept his mouth 
open, and the tooth pierced the film and emitted a stream 
like one full of blood in blood letting, and cast some drops 
upon the sleeve of the carpenter's shirt, who had no waist- 
coat on. I advised him to pull off his shirt, but he would 
not, and received no harm ; and tho' nothing could then be 
seen of it upon the shirt, yet in washing there appeared 
five green specks, which every washing appeared plainer and 
plainer, and lasted so long as the shirt did, which the car- 
penter told me was about three years after. The head we 
threw afterwards down upon the ground, and a sow came 
and eat it before our faces, and received no harm. Now 
I believe had this poison lighted upon any place of the 
carpenter's skin that was scratched or hurt, it might have 
poisoned him. I take the poison to rest in a small bag or 



TEMPERATURE OP THE CLIMATE. 



249 



receptacle, in the hollow at the root of these teeth ; but 
I never had the opportunity afterwards to make a farther 
discovery of that. 

I will likewise give you a story of the violent effects of 
this sort of poison, because I depend upon the tiuth of it, 
having it from an acquaintance of mine of good credit, one 
Colonel James Taylor, of Mattapony, still alive, he being 
with others in the woods a surveying. Just as they were 
standing to light their pipes, they found a rattle snake and 
cut off his head, and about three inches of the body. 
Then he, with a green stick which he had in his hand, 
about a foot and a half long, the bark being newly peeled 
off, urged and provoked the head, till it bit the stick in 
fury several times. Upon this the colonel observed small 
green streaks to rise up along the stick towards his hand. 
He threw the stick upon the ground, and in a quarter of 
hour the stick of its own accord split into several pieces, 
and fell asunder from end to end. This account I had 
from him again at the writing hereof. 

Musquitoes are a sort of vermin of less danger, but much 
more troublesome, because more frequent. They are a 
long tailed gnat, such as are in all fens and low grounds 
in England, and I think have no other difference from 
them than the name. Neither are they in Virginia troubled 
with them anywhere but in their low grounds and marshes. 
These insects I believe are stronger, and continue longer 
there, by reason of the warm sun, than in England. Who- 
ever is persecuted with them in his house, may get rid of 
them by this easy remedy : let him but set open his windows 
at sunset, and shut them again before the twilight be quite 
shut in. All the musquitoes in the room will go out at the 
windows, and leave the room clear. 

Chinches are a sort of flat bug, which lurks in the bed- 
steads and bedding, and disturbs people's rest a nights. 
Eveiy neat housewife contrives there, by several devices, 
to keep her beds clear of them. But the best way I ever 
heard, effectually to destroy them, is by a narrow search 
32 



250 TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE. 

among the bedding early in the spring, before these veimin 
begin to nit and run about ; for they lie snug all the win- 
ter, and are in the spring large and full of the winter's 
growth, having all their seed within them 5 and so they 
become a fair mark to find, and may with their whole 
breed be destroyed ; they are the same as they have in 
London near the shipping, 

Seed tick, and red worms are small insects, that annoy 
the people by day, as musquitoes and chinches do by night ; 
but both these keep out of your way, if you keep out of 
theirs ; for seed ticks are no where to be met with, but 
in the track of cattle, upon which the great ticks fatten, 
and fill their skins so full of blood, that they drop off, 
and wherever they happen to fall, they produce a kind of 
egg, which lies about a fortnight before the seedlings are 
hatched. These seedlings run in swarms up the next 
blade of grass that lies in their way ; and then the first 
thing that brushes that blade of grass, gathers off most of 
these vermin, which stick like burs upon anything that 
touches them. They void their eggs at the mouth. 

Red worms lie only in old dead trees, and rotten logs ; 
and without sitting down upon such, a man never meets 
with them, nor at any other season, but only in the midst 
of summer. A little warm water immediately brings off 
both seed ticks and red worms, though they lie ever so 
thick upon any part of the body. But without some such 
remedy they will be troublesome ; for they are so small 
that nothing will lay hold of them, but the point of a 
penknife, needle, or such like. But if nothing be done 
to remove them, the itching they occasion goes away after 
two days. 

§ SI. Their winters are very short, and don't continue 
above three or four months, of which they have seldom 
thirty days of unpleasant weather, all the rest being blest 
with a clear air, and a bright sun. However, they have 
very hard frost sometimes, but it rarely lasts above three 
cr four days, that i6, till the wind change ; for if it blow 



TEMPERATURE OP THE CLIMATE. 251 

not between the' north and north-west points, from the cold 
Apalachian mountains, they have no frost at all. But these 
frosts are attended with a serene sky, and are otherwise 
made delightful by the tameness of the wild fowl and 
other game, which by their incredible number, afford the 
pleasantest shooting in the world. 

Their rains, except in the depth of winter, are extremely 
agreeable and refreshing. All the summer long they last 
but a few hours at a time, and sometimes not above half 
an hour, and then immediately succeeds clear sunshine 
again. But in that short time it rains so powerfully, that 
it quits the debt of a long drought, and makes everything 
green and gay. 

I have heard that this country is reproached with sudden 
and dangerous changes of weather, but that imputation is 
unjust ; for tho' it be true, that in the winter, when the 
wind comes over those vast mountains and lakes to the 
north-west, which are supposed to retain vast magazines 
of ice, and snow, the weather is then very rigorous ; yet 
in spring, summer and autumn, such winds are only cool 
and pleasant breezes, which serve to refresh the air, and 
correct those excesses of heat, which the situation would 
otherwise make that country liable to. 



CHAPTER XX. 



OP THE DISEASES IXC IE EXT TO TrRGENTA. 

§ S3. Wink we are upon the climate, and its accidents. 
it will not be improper to mention the diseases incident to 
Tirginia. Distempers come not there by choaking up the 
spirits, with, a foggy and thick air, as in some northern 
climes : nor by a stifling heat, that exhales the vigor of 
those that dwell in a more southerly latitude : but by a will- 
ful and foolish indulging themselves in those pleasures. 
which in a warm and fruitful country, nature lavishes upon 
mankind, for their happiness, and not for their destruction. 

Thus I have seen persons impatient of heat, lie almost 
naked upon the cold grass in the shades, and there, often 
forgetting themselves, fall asleep. Nay. many are so im- 
prudent, as to do this in an evening, and perhaps lie so all 
night ; when between the dew from heaven, and the damps 
from the earth, such impressions are made upon the humors 
of their body, as occasion fatal distempers. 

Tr.us also have I seen persons put into a great heat by 
excessive action, and in the midst of that heat, strip off 
their clothes, and expose their open pores to the air. Nay, 
I have known some mad enough in this hot condition, to 
take huge draughts of cold water, or perhaps of milk and 
water, which they esteem much more cold in operation than 
■ i 

And thus likewise have i i al people, (especially 

new-comers., so intemperat 3 ig the pleasant fruits, 

that they have fallen into fluxes and surfeits. 

These, and such like d -: e chief occasions of 

their disei— : 



DISEASES INCIDENT TO VIRGINIA. 



>53 



<jj S3. The first sickness that any new-comer happens to 
have there, he unfairly calls a seasoning, be it fever, ague, 
or any thing else, that his own folly or excesses bring upon 
him. 

Their intermitting fevers, as well as their agues, are very 
troublesome, if a fit remedy be not applied ; but of late the 
doctors there have made use of the Cortex Peruviana with 
success, and find that it seldom or never fails to remove the 
fits. The planters, too, have several roots natural to the 
country, which in this case they cry up as infallible ; and I 
have found by many examples a total immersion in cold 
spring water, just at the accession of the fit an infallible 
cure. 

§ S4. When these damps, colds and disorders affect the 
body more gently, and do not seize people violently at first ; 
then for want of some timely application, (the planters ab- 
horring all physic, except in desperate cases.) these small 
disorders are suffered to go on, until they grow into a 
cachexie, by which the body is overrun with obstinate scor- 
butic humors. And this in a more fierce, and virulent de- 
gree, I take to be the yaws. 

§S5. The gripes is a distemper of the Caribbee islands, 
not of that country, and seldom gets footing there, and then 
only upon great provocations ; namely, by the intemperance 
before mentioned, together with an unreasonable use of filthy 
and unclean drinks. Perhaps too it may come by new un- 
fine cider, perry or peach drink, which the people are im- 
patient to drink before it is ready ; or by the excessive use 
of lime juice, and foul sugar in punch and flip : or else by 
the constant drinking of uncorrected beer, made of such 
windy unwholesome things as some people make use of in 
brewing. 

Thus having fairly reckoned up the principal inconveni- 
ences of the climate, and the distempers incident to the 
country, I shall add a chapter of the recreations and amuse- 
ments used there, and proceed to the natural benefits they 
enjoy. After which, I shall conclude with some hints con- 
cerning their trade and improvements. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



OP THE RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES USED IN VIRGINIA. 

§ 86. For their recreation, the plantations, orchards and 
gardens constantly afford them fragrant and delightful walks. 
In their woods and fields, they have an unknown variety of 
vegetables, and other rarities of nature to discover and ob- 
serve. They have hunting, fishing and fowling, with which 
they entertain themselves an hundred ways. There is the 
most good nature and hospitality practiced in the world, 
both towards friends and strangers : but the worst of it is, 
this generosity is attended now and then with a little too 
much intemperance. The neighborhood is at much the 
same distance as in the country in England ; but the good- 
ness of the roads, and the fairness of the weather, bring 
people often together. 

§87. The Indians, as I have already observed, had in 
their hunting, a way of concealing themselves, and coming 
up to the deer, under the blind of a stalking head, in imi- 
tation of which, many people have taught their horses to 
stalk it, that is, to walk gently by the huntsman's side, to 
cover him from the sight of the deer. Others cut down 
trees for the deer to browse upon, and lie in wait behind 
them. Others again set stakes, at a certain distance within 
their fences, where the deer have been used to leap over 
into a field of peas, which they love extremely ; these 
stakes they so place, as to run into the body of the deer, 
when he pitches, by which means they impale him ; and 
for a temptation to the leap take down the top part of the 
fence. 

§ 88. They hunt their hares, (which are very numerous,) 



RECREATIONS AND PASTLMES. 255 

a foot, with mongrels or swift dogs, which either catch them 
quickly, or force them to hole in a hollow tree, whither all 
their hares generally tend when they are closely pursued. 
As soon as they are thus holed, and have crawled up into 
the body of the tree, the business is to kindle a fire, and 
smother them with smoke, till they let go their hold, and 
fall to the bottom stifled ; from whence they take them. If 
they have a mind to spare their lives, upon turning them 
loose, they will be as fit as ever to hunt at another time ; 
for the mischief done them by the smoke immediately wears 
off again. 

§ 89. They have another sort of hunting, which is very 
diverting, and that they call vermin hunting ; it is performed 
a foot, with small dogs in the ni b ht, by the light of the 
moon or stars. Thus in summer time they find abundance 
of raccoons, opossums and foxes in the corn fields, and 
about their plantations : but at other times they must go into 
the woods for them. The method is to go out with three 
or four dogs, and as soon as they come to the place they 
bid the dogs seek out, and all the company follow immedi- 
ately. Wherever a dog barks, you may depend upon find- 
ing the game ; and this alarm draws both men and dogs 
that way. If this sport be in the woods, the game, by the 
time you come near it, is perhaps mounted to the top of an 
high tree, and then they detach a nimble fellow up after it, 
who must have a scuflle with the beast before he can throw 
it down to the dogs ; and then the sport increases, to see the 
vermin encounter those little curs. In this sort of hunting, 
they also carry their great dogs out with them ; because 
wolves, bears, panthers, wild cats, and all other beasts of 
prey, are abroad in the night. 

For wolves they make traps and set guns baited in the 
woods, so that when he offers to seize the bait, he pulls 
the trigger, and the gun discharges upon him. What 
iElian and Pliny write, of the horses being benumed in 
their legs, if they tread in the track of a wolf, does not 
hold good here ; for I myself, and many others, have rid 



256 



RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES. 



full speed after wolves in the woods, and have seen live 
ones taken out of a trap, and dragged at a horse's tail ; and 
yet those that followed on horse back, have not perceived 
any of their horses to falter in their pace. 

§ 90. They have many pretty devices besides the gun to 
take wild turkeys ; and among others, a friend of mine in- 
vented a great trap, wherein he at times caught many tur- 
keys, and particularly seventeen at one time ; but he could 
not contrive it so as to let others in, after he had entrapped 
the first flock, until they were taken out. 

§ 91. The Indian invention of weirs in fishing is mightily 
improved by the English, besides which they make use 
of seins, trolls, casting nets, setting nets, hand fishing and 
angling, and in each find abundance of diversion. I have 
sat in the shade at the heads of the rivers angling, and 
spent as much time in taking the fish off the hook as 
in waiting for their taking it. Like those of the Euxine 
sea, they also fish with spilyards, which is a long line 
staked out in the river, and hung with a great many 
hooks on short strings, fastened to the main line, about 
three or lour feet asunder, supported by stakes, or buoyed 
up with gourds. They use likewise the Indian way of 
striking the light of a fire in the night, as is described in 
the second book, chapter 5, section 23. 

§ 92. Their fowling is answerable to their fishing for 
plenty of game in its proper season. Some plantations 
have a vast variety of it, several sorts of which I have 
not yet mentioned, as beaver, otter, squirrels, patridges, 
pigeons, and an infinite number of small birds, &c. 

§ 93. The admirable economy of the beavers deserves 
to be particularly remembered. They cohabit in one house 
are incorporated in a regular form of government, some- 
thing like monarchy, and have over them a superintendent, 
which the Indians call pericu. He leads them out to 
their 'several employments, which consist in felling of trees, 
biting off the branches, and cutting them into certain 
lengths, suitable to the business they design them for, all 



RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES. 257 

which they perform with their teeth. When this is done, 
the pericu orders several of his subjects to join together, 
and take up one of those logs, which they must carry lo 
their house or dam, as occasion requires. He walks in 
state by them all the while, and sees that every one bears 
his equal share of the burthen ; while he bites with his 
teeth, and lashes with his tail, those that lag behind, and 
do not lend nil their strength ; their way of carriage is 
upon their tail. They commonly build their houses in 
swamps, and then to raise the water to a convenient height, 
they make a dam with logs, and a binding fort of clay, so 
firm, that though the water runs continually over, it can- 
not wash it away. Within these dams they'l inclose water 
enough to make a pool like a mill pond ; and if a mill 
happen to be built on the same stream, below their dam, 
the miller, in a dry season, finds it worth his while to 
cut it, to supply his mill with water. Upon which disaster 
the beavers are so expert at their work, that in one or 
two nights' time they will repair the breach, and make it 
perfectly whole again. Sometimes they build their houses 
in a broad marsh, where the tide ebbs and flows, and then 
they make no dam at all. The doors into their houses 
are under water. I have been at the demolishing of one 
of these houses, that was found in a marsh, and was sur- 
prised to find it fortified with logs, that were six feet long, 
and ten inches through, and had been carried at least one 
hundred and fifty yards. This house was three stories 
high, and contained five rooms, that is to say, two in the 
lower, two in the middle story, and but one at the top. 
These creatures have a great deal of policy, and know 
how to defeat all the subtilty and stratagems of the hunter, 
who seldom can meet with them, tho' they are in great 
numbers all over the country. 

§ 94. There is yet another kind of sport, which the young 

people take great delight in, and that is, the hunting of. 

wild horses ; which they pursue sometimes with dogs, and 

sometimes without. You must know they have many 

33 



258 RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES. 

horses foaled in the woods of the uplands, that never were 
in hand, and are as shy as any savage creature. These 
having no mark upon them, belong to him that first takes 
them. However, the captor commonly purchases these 
horses very dear, by spoiling better in the pursuit ; in which 
case he has little to make himself amends, besides the 
pleasure of the chase. And very often this is all he has 
for it ; for the wild horses are so swift, that 'tis difficult to 
catch them ; and when they are taken, 'tis odds but their 
grease is melted, or else being old, they are so sullen, that 
they can't be tamed. 

§ 95. The inhabitants are very courteous to travelers, 
who need no other recommendation, but the being human 
creatures. A stranger has no more to do, but to enquire 
upon the road, where any gentleman or good housekeeper 
lives, and there he may depend upon being received with 
hospitality. This good nature is so general among their 
people, that the gentry, when they go abroad, order their 
principal servant to entertain all visitors, with everything the 
plantation affords. And the poor planters, who have but 
one bed, will very often sit up, or lie upon a form or 
couch all night, to make room for a weary traveler, to' 
repose himself after his journey. 

If there happen to be a churl, that either out of covet- 
ousness, or ill nature, won't comply with this generous 
custom, he has a mark of infamy set upon him, and is 
abhorred by all. 



CHAP TEE XXII. 



OF THE NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA, AND THE ADVAN- 
TAGES OF THEIR HUSBANDRY. 

§ 96. The extreme fruitfulness of that country, has been 
sufficiently shown in the second book, and I think we 
may justly add, that in that particular it is not exceeded 
by any other. No seed is sown there, but it thrives ; and 
most of the northern plants are improved, by being 1 trans- 
planted thither. ' And yet there's very little improvement 
made among them, seldom anything used in traffic but 
tobacco. 

Besides all the natural productions mentioned in lhe > 
second book, you may take notice that apples from the 
seed never degenerate into crabs there, but produce as good 
or perhaps better fruit than the mother tree, (which is not 
so in England,) and are wonderfully improved by grafting 
and managing ; yet there are very few planters that graft 
at all, and much fewer that take any care to get choice 
fruits. 

The fruit trees are wonderfully quick of growth ; so 
that in six or seven years time from the planting, a man 
may bring an orchard to bear in great plenty, from which 
he may make store of good cider, or distill great quantities 
of brandy ; for the cider is very stong, and yields abun- 
dance of spirit. Yet they have very few, that take any 
care at all for an orchard ; nay, many that have good or- 
chards are so negligent of them as to let them go to ruin, 
and expose the trees to be torn and barked by the cattle. 

Peaches, nectarines, and apricots, as well as plumbs and 



60 NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA. 

cherries, grow there upon standard trees. They commonly 
bear in three years from the stone, and thrive so exceed- 
ingly, that they seem to have no need of grafting or 
inoculating, if any body would be so good a husband ; 
and truly I never heard of any that did graft either plum, 
nectarine, peach or apricot in that country, before the first 
edition of this book. 

Peaches and nectarines I believe to be spontaneous, some- 
where or other on that continent, for the Indians have, and 
ever had greater variety, and finer sorts <wf them than the 
English. The best sort of these cling to the stone, and 
will not come off clear, which ihey call plum nectarines, 
aud plum peaches, or cling stones. Some of these are 
twelve or thirteen inches in the girt. These sorts of fruits 
are raised so easily there, that some good husbands plant 
great orchards of them, purposely for their hogs ; and others 
make a drink of them, which they call mobby, and either 
drink it as cider, or distill it off for brandy. This makes 
the best spirit next to grapes. « ) 

Grape vines of the English stock, as well as those of 
their own production, bear most abundantly, if they are 
suffered to run near the ground, and increase very kindly 
by slipping ; yet very few have them at all in their gar- 
dens, much less endeavor to improve them by cutting or 
laying. But since the first impression of this book, some 
vineyards have been attempted, and one is brought to per- 
fection, of seven hundred and fifty gallons a year. The 
wine drinks at present greenish, but the owner doubts not 
of good wine, in a year or two more, and takes great 
delight that way. 

When a single tree happens in clearing the ground, to 
be left standing, with a vine upon it, open to the sun 
and air, that vine generally produces as much as four or 
five others, that remain in the woods. 1 have seen in this 
case, more grapes upon one single vine, than would load 
a London cart. And for all this, the people till of late 
never removed any of them into their gardens, but con- 



NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA. 261 

tented themselves throughout the whole country with the 
grapes they found thus wild. 

A garden is no where sooner made than there, either for 
fruits or flowers. Tulips from the seed, flower the second 
year. All sorts of herbs have there a peifection in their 
flavor, beyond what I ever tasted in a more northern 
climate. And yet they havn't many gardens in that country, 
fit to bear the name of garden. 

§97. All sorts of English grain thrive, and increase" 
there, as well as in any other part of the world, as for 
example, wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, rape, &c. And 
yet they don't make a trade of any of them. Their peas 
indeed are troubled with weevils, which eat a hole in them, 
but this hole does neither damage the seed, nor make the 
peas unfit for boiling. And such as are sowed late, and 
gathered after August, arc clear of that inconvenience. 

It is thought too much for the same man, to make the 
wheat, and grind it, bolt it, and bake it himself. And it 
is too great a charge for every planter, who is willing to sow 
barley, to build a malt house, and brew house too, or else 
to have no benefit of his barley ; nor will it answer, if he 
would be at the charge. These things can never be ex- 
pected from a single family ; but if they had cohabitations, 
it might be thought worth attempting. Neither as they 
are now settled, can they find any certain market for 
their other grain, which, if they had towns, would be/ 
quite otherwise. 

Rice has been tried there, and is found to grow as 
well as in Carolina ; but it labors under the same incon- 
venience, the want of a community to husk and clean it, . 
and, after all, to take it off the planter's hands. 

§ 9S. 1 have related at large in the first book how 
flax, hemp, cotton, and the silk worms have thriven there 
in the several essays made upon them ; how formerly 
there was encouragement given for making of linen, silk, 
<fcc, and how all persons not performing several things to- 
wards producing of them were put under a fine ; but now 



2&.Z NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA. 

all encouragement of such things is taken away or entirely 
dropped by the assemblies, and such manufactures are al- 
ways neglected when tobacco bears anything of a price. 

Silk grass is there spontaneous in many places. I need 
not mention what advantage may be made of so useful a 
plant, whose fibres are as fine as flax, and much stronger 
than hemp. Mr. Purchass tells us, in his Fourth Pilgrim, 
page 1786, that in the first discovery of this part of the 
world they presented Q,ueen Elizabeth with a piece of 
grogram that had been made of it. And yet to this day 
they make no manner of use of this plant, no, not so 
much as the Indians did, before the English came among 
them, who then made their baskets, fishing nets, and lines 
of it. 

§ 99. The sheep increase well, and bear good fleeces ; 
but they generally are suffered to be torn off their backs 
by briars and bushes, instead of being shorn, or else are 
left rotting upon the dunghill with their skins. 

Bees thrive there abundantly, and will very easily 
yield to the careful housewife a full hive of honey, and 
besides lay up a winter store sufficient to preserve their 
stocks. 

The beeves, when any care is taken of them in the 
winter, come to good perfection. They have noble marshes 
there, which, with the charge of draining only, would 
make as fine pastures as any in the world ; and yet there 
is hardly an hundred acres of marsh drained throughout 
the whole country. 

Hogs swarm like vermin upon the earth, and are 
often accounted such, insomuch, that when an inventory of 
any considerable man's estate is taken by the executors, 
the hogs are left out, and not listed in the appraisement. 
The hogs run where they list, and find their own sup- 
port in the woods, without any care of the owner ; and 
in many, plantations it is well if the proprietor can find 
and catch the pigs, or any part of a farrow, when they 
are young to mark them ; for if there be any marked in a 



NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA. 263 

gang of hogs, they determine the propriety of the rest, 
because they seldom miss their gangs ; but as they are 
bred in company, so they continue to the end, except 
sometimes the boars ramble. 

§ 100. The woods produce great variety of incense and 
sweet gums, which distill from several trees ; as also trees 
bearing honey and sugar, as before was mentioned. Yet 
there's no use made of any of them, either for profit or 
refreshment. 

All sorts of naval stores may be produced there, as 
pitch, tar, rosin, turpentine, plank, timber, and all sorts 
of masts and yards, besides sails, cordage and iron, and 
all these may be transported by an easy water carriage. 

§ 101. These, and a thousand other advantages, that 
country naturally affords, which its inhabitants make no 
manner of use of. They can see their naval stores daily 
benefit other people, who send thither to build ships, while 
they, instead of promoting such undertakings among them- 
selves, and easing such as are willing to go upon them, 
allow them no manner of encouragement, but rather the 
contrary. They receive no benefit, nor refreshment, from 
the sweets and precious things they have growing amongst 
them, but make use of the industry of England for all 
such things. 

What advantages do they see the neighboring plantations 
make of their grain and provisions, while they, who can 
produce them infinitely better, not only neglect the making 
a trade thereof, but even a necessary provision against an 
accidental scarcity, contenting themselves with a supply of 
food from hand to mouth ; so that if it should please God 
to send them an unseasonable year, there would not be 
found in the country provision sufficient to support the peo- 
ple for three months extraordinary. 

By reason of the unfortunate method of the setllem 
and want of cohabitation, they cannot make a beneficial use 
of their flax, hemp, cotton, silk, silk grass and wool, which 
might otherwise supply their necessities, and leave the pro- 



204 NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA. 

duce of tobacco to enrich them, when a gainful market 
can be found for it. 

Thus, they depend altogether upon the liberality of na- 
ture, without endeavoring to improve its gifts by art or 
industry. They spunge upon the blessings of a warm sun, 
and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of gathering 
in the bounties of the earth. //I should be ashamed to pub- 
lish this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that I 
hope it will sometime or other rouse them out of their leth- 
argy, and excite them to make the most of all those happy 
advantages which nature has given them ; and if it does 
this, I am sure they will have the goodness to forgive me. 



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